SIDS advice says no bumper ..... DS banging his head on cot and screaming at 3am says .....

[TheGabster]

.... put a bumper on if you want to get some sleep. So I gave in and bought/put the bumper on the cot a few days ago. I mean, DS is now 7.5m so its not a risk anymore, is it? I'm starting to second think ......

Arhhhhhh .....

I think the risk is actually as they get older and start to pull themselves into a sitting position - more chance of them trapping their heads/necks.

I thought the sids angle was them then overheating because it would work a bit like a hat? Just ensure the room is plenty cool enough.

Does he get back to sleep okay after the screaming, have you ever waiting a couple of minutes to see what happens?

Lilred - not sure where/how he would trap his head as bars are close together, or do you mean with the bumper? I suppose he could. OOooh, now I'm getting all worried again now.

CarGirl - room is def. cool enough - 18 usually. And no, he does not calm back down on his own which is why I needed to do something.

Now I'm even more confused!

Gabster - I used one until DD was pulling herself up to stand in the cot as my concern was her trapping her head between the bumper and cot. Before that - used one no problem as her room was plenty cool enough and it stopped her banging her head..

Not sure that I would use one - too much risk of them becoming entangled in the bumper or smothered by it if they manage to pull it off.

Jelliebelly, yes that's what I'm worried about and DS sure does love to undo the strings (have now sown them together instead. Found him twice wedged in awkward position and could not free himself because he was stretching to reach that last fastener!!

Thanks LilRed, that sounds sensible. I tucked the bottom of the bumper down the side of the matress so he can't get underneath it but I might sow on some more tags and attach them underneath so he can't get the bottoms of them up.

Thanks guys!! Feel much happer now.

I think the 'no bumper' advice is both because of potential overheating as well as suffocation/strangulation.

MarlaSinger - could you have been referring to Bumpsters? www.bumpsters.co.uk

I've just bought this for my 20-week LO which I am hoping will help and be a good alternative to traditional cot bumpers (he's rolling all over his cot and getting his feet and arms stuck!): www.airwrap.com.au - it's made from breathable mesh, collapsible if you stand on it so can't be used as a step for when LO gets older, and thin so that you can fit it in between the mattress and the sides of the cot. Well, in theory anyway - it hasn't arrived yet!

i put a bumper back on DD's cot for this same reason, and to stop draughts - she's 10mo and the cot is on the lowest position. she would have to have amazing upper body stregth to use the bumper to climb out!

she rolls about in her cot all night long and was bashing into the sides, and it is tied on in lots of places with big knots. i can't see her undoing it, TBH

I plan to keep it there and just monitor her ability to undo it and her climbing. seems fine for now, though, and she sleeps much better with it there

i fold a cellular blanket long ways and weave it through the bars near his head, so its not all the way round, he can't get trapped in it and its got no ties

The other risk with the bumper as they're older is once they start pulling up; they can use it as a step to topple out over the top. And yes, they can get their heads trapped under and suffocate or break their neck. If you MUST put the bumper on, make it v. low so that the bottom of it is level with the BOTTOM of the mattress. Know the risks, assess them, and make an informed decision.