Crib bumpers are a must-have from an early age. Even before she could turn over from her back to her belly, as our Wiggle-worm was learning to use her legs, she would “lobster crawl” all around. She could scoot from one end of a room to the other, putting her knees up and pushing herself with her feet. At night, she would often push herself right into the corner of her crib, shoving her little head as far into the corner as she could. The crib bumpers padded the corner keeping her little head safe while giving her a nice cozy cuddly feeling. With this expectation in mind, enough padding to protect a little noggin was one of my criteria when shopping for a crib bumper.
While there are crib bumpers available with only 3 sides, I recommend the ones that go all around the whole crib as she quickly learned how to turn herself around and Magellan her way all around her little world. It didn’t take long before she would get herself turned just the opposite way of how she was when we laid her down…even before she figured out how to flop over.
Prices can range from less than $50 to around $500, depending on the patterns and embroidery.
When she did learn to turn over and became even more mobile, the crib bumpers kept her safe from getting her arms and legs out of her surroundings. Even though we have a new crib that has the slats close enough together that her head won’t get through, were it not for the bumpers, she could have easily gotten her limbs out and caught. The crib bumpers have kept her contained in her safe crib environment.
As a new parent, I would always jump up every time I heard her move, afraid she would get her nose smooshed into the bumpers, but somehow naturally never did. However, for a baby who finds a way to get their nose pushed against the wall, there are some great breathable bumpers that start at less than $30. For today’s deal of the day, check out a breathable baby universal bumper from Amazon for $29.99.
Most of them use velcro instead of ties in case a curious child should manage to get their arms around the crib corner. We have not had a problem with this, as the bumpers we have are high enough that she has not figured out that there are ties to be played with all the way around on the outside corners of her crib. I also tie the ties into knots, not bows, so the strings hang straight down rather than loops that would be easier to see and grab.
There are so many patterns and designs available for any nursery decor. We stuck with a fairly basic pattern since we didn’t know she would be a girl-person until her big arrival. Now that she is here, we have so many themes available to have fun with, perhaps we need one with more lavender in it to match the girly color on her walls.
Check out Smarter for great deals on crib bumpers. Check out Carousel Design Blog’s guide on how to properly install a crib bumper.
Image Source: Babybedding.com
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To help prevent break-ins, place a bar or a piece of wood in the patio door track.
· Keep fire, police, and poison control numbers next to the phone or on the fridge.
· Ensure that all prescription drugs, hazardous materials, and firearms are safely locked away.
· Store a flashlight on each floor and in the basement for use during power failures.
· Don’t run electrical cords under rugs, furniture, or in traffic areas.
· Never store gasoline in the house.