SIDS and Crib Bedding

[blushingbride]

So, DH and I took our first prenatal education class this past Saturday. Our nurse was heavily stressing to all of us new parents-to-be not to use a crib bumper. She said that it is completely unecessary and that even the breathable ones shouldn't be used - ever. I've heard this from some other mom friends of mine, but I also have some which use the bumper.

We ended up getting two Skylar cribs from PB (pic below). Since it has drawers below, we can't use a skirt. And if we don't get a bumper or the skirt, that means all we need is a fitted sheet and water proof matress pads correct? Seems strange to me that we don't need more than that.

What have you all heard about SIDS and bumpers?

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Re: SIDS, I've heard that the latest school of thought is that it's more related to an off-balance or lack of serotonin in the brain vs air flow and bumpers. We're using bumpers.

 

[Mara]

Yup the nurse is right, you can pretty much find that advice anywhere nowadays.

However, some Moms still use bumpers, some for just the first few months and some for the whole infant/toddler stage and beyond. It's really a personal decision of the parent.

I am unsure why the nurse would say not a breathable bumper, because those things are seriously breathable (and hideous). I tried it myself--jammed up against my face. We had a PBK bumper (So cute) for J in the first 3 months because he was not quite mobile when he would sleep, but then he got all wiggly and moving and would try to jam his face up against it so I removed it and we had no bumper for a week or two but then he just bumped his head on the crib all the time (leading him to wake up and cry) so I put the BB in there and it doesn't necessarily totally prevent head bumps as it's so thin BUT he seems to like it because he CAN press his face against it. He is a total 'likes to be snuggled' kid who prefers to put his face against something to sleep.

They say SIDS is most serious in the months 4-6 because the babes can move around and roll over but they may not have the right head control or body control to be able to get themselves out of a dangerous situation. That said, my kid SEEMS like Superman in terms of what he can maneuver in his crib, BUT I still don't feel totally comfortable all the time. Even with things like sleep sacks, if he really wanted to he could get some material over his face so unless you sleep them in totally form fitting stuff all the time then there's always some inherent risk.

Also a video monitor for us went a long way because we could see him and see where his face/mouth was and feel more comfortable that way. However that does not work when you are sleeping as then you don't want to be worrying about the baby or else you won't sleep.

Things like cooler room, cooler baby, no bumpers, no blankets or loose materials or toys, a pacifier, etc can all reduce the risk of SIDS, but from what I have read, true causes of SIDS are still largely unknown. I have read materials that also suggest that it could also be something internal aka a slightly immature brain stem which won't recognize the danger and signal to the brain to move away from the object impeding breathing etc. From what I read, I've gathered it seems to be a 'combination' of *potentially* dangerous things culminating in a bad situation rather than just any child who jams their face up against a bumper kind of thing.

Anyway all this to say--it's up to the parents, you will know how comfortable you feel with a situation. I was and am about 99% sure that my kid would move himself away from a danger BUT there's always that 1%, which is why I got the hideous BB and we'll leave it on til I feel totally confident in his skills/awareness, then hell ya I'm putting that cute PBK bumper back on!

Oh and we have a slatted PB crib but we didn't bother with a skirt...couldn't find one I liked enough and it just looks cleaner without it. So all we have in the crib is a BB and a tight fitting sheet. and Speaking of sheets, I hate how tight fitting they are, I practically have to wrestle the crib mattress to the ground to get the stupid sheet on every time and one time I sprained my thumb!

 

[fieryred33143]

Yes, on all you need is a sheet and mattress pad (although I don't have a pad ). They sell the ultimate crib sheet but I could not figure out how to use it.

SIDS is unexplained death. Research has shown several common factors amongst children who have passed from SIDS, such as having a crib bumper. However, just having a bumper isn't the ultimate reason why SIDS occurs. There are also a number of inconsistencies in reports out there. For example, sids.org says never to have a baby in an adult bed while other research says that co-sleeping helps reduce SIDS.

Also, people confuse SIDS with suffocation all of the time. The risk of baby shoving its face in the bumper is a suffocation risk, not a SIDS risk.

At the end of the day, it's all about your comfort level. I tend to tell people to skip the bumper since that's really what makes a bed set expensive and you don't need one although it does make the crib pretty .

 

[blushingbride]

Interesting ladies - the bedding we want (if bought as a set) is $400 per set since it's organic. It's hard to find bedding where you aren't required to buy the whole set. However, Restoration Hardware baby allows you to buy things seperately as you need them. So far, we've just ordered the organic sheets from there. Also, since the babes will be sleeping in a Arm's Reach bassinet for the first few months, we figured we didn't need the bumper right away (if we ended up getting one).

I knew that some of you used the BBs so, after the nurse (who told use she's been a nurse longer than most of us have been alive) said not to use a bumper, I asked her about the BBs. She said she's aware that they are breathable, but she still said to not use any if given the choice.

Someone also asked about putting the pretty bumpers back on after the baby reaches a certain age and she said there was no point to that either because by the time it was safe enough for them to use, they will learn to use it as something to step on to try get out of the crib.

I realize that I can't take everything that everyone tells me as "the right thing to do" but, it's definitely something to think about. It's definitely a personal choice and I'm so interested in what you all have learned too. Thanks for chiming in all!

 

[MonkeyPie]

I am making a bumper this weekend. (Seriously stoked.) Micah is very mobile, always has been, and once we moved him to the crib he had some serious issues that made me decide we had to have a bumper - the biggest one being that he kept getting his legs stuck in the crib slats. He bumped his head, poked an arm through, basically everything he could possibly do that made him uncomfortable and made him cry. (And me cry, when he banged his head pretty hard.) So he's getting a bumper.

I think it's a comfort level for a lot of parents. Micah slept on a pillow until he learned to roll over last week, and that's a big no-no to the SIDS whatevers. But it made him comfy and happy and he never mushed his face in it, at least not when asleep. He has always had excellent head control and will move his face away from anything uncomfortable, proven when he was in bed with me and I pushed a pillow onto his face by accident - he turned his head and pushed with his arms to get free of it. So I feel comfortable with the bumper.

P.S. I freaking love that crib! It's so cute and I love the storage!

 

[Puppmom]

BB, beautiful choice of crib! It will look fantastic by itself if you decide to just do a crib sheet.

We bought a whole bedding set including bumpers. We also bought a breathable bumper (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product ... 16367&RN=0). It's slighty padded but has holes (like mesh) so air can pass through because I tend to be in the *better safe than sorry* (I mean paranoid ) camp.

Although I'm not sure I buy into the relationship between SIDs and bumpers, I do think Mara is right - you're not going to find any childbirth educator, nurse or doctor that will tell you bumpers are a good idea.

 

[TravelingGal]

My friend (with the triplets) got 3 sets of RH bedding. I told her in general bedding is a waste, but she said since she had suffered so much with pregnancy, she wanted a nice nursery. Good point, I can't argue with that, right?

Well, she washed everything and of course it's a wrinkled mess. She didn't bother with the skirts because they looked so terrible after the initial washing and still hasn't. She has to change the sheets regularly because they all spit up for so long, and uses other sheets she got for a more reasonable price since she couldn't afford to get tons of spare RH sheets.

If you want to get it for you, great. But your kid doesn't need organic sheets or pretty bumpers. It is hands down, one of the number one things that moms say is a giant waste of money.

On bumpers, again IMHO a waste of money to get the plush ones. The baby doesn't need them, it's a suffocation risk, so I don't get them. But some moms want to see a cute crib. Breathables are nice if your kid is a mover and shaker. No need is going to bang himself silly in the crib, but arms and legs might get stuck. Amelia's got stuck even with the bumper in, so it's not a surefire thing it's going to help.

I think money on bedding is better spent when their toddlers and might be more prone to go to bed if there's a princess on the bedspread.

 

[Mara]

ditto TG on the sheets, we got a PBK $25 sheet and a Circo $7 sheet and I like the Circo one better. IT washes better, gets more stains out easily, the PBK one looks trashed.

I have an organic washable mattress cover (Which I love, it's so soft and sometimes when the sheets are in the wash I just put down a waterproof pad and nap him straight on that, then a sheet for nighttime. During days when he naps, he tends to be a spitter so I put down a waterproof pad on top of that which MAY or MAY NOT stay in place depending on how much he doesn't want to nap and then I just remove it and toss it into the clothes hamper at the end of the day for nighttime sleep again. This keeps me from having to wash his sheets like daily (esp since as noted above I hate changing the sheets).

Oh and crib skirt, when I put it on, it was not cute. I don't know why but it looked nothing like the picture. So I tossed it back into bag. It was $19 so we never bothered to return it and/or use it.

I liked the idea of organic sheets and all that but one friend pointed out...if it's 100% cotton who cares if it's 'made' organically or not. When you wash it 20 times in Tide Free it automatically BECOMES organic right? Plus it's COTTON!

 

[TravelingGal]

I am making a bumper this weekend. (Seriously stoked.) Micah is very mobile, always has been, and once we moved him to the crib he had some serious issues that made me decide we had to have a bumper - the biggest one being that he kept getting his legs stuck in the crib slats. He bumped his head, poked an arm through, basically everything he could possibly do that made him uncomfortable and made him cry. (And me cry, when he banged his head pretty hard.) So he's getting a bumper.

I think it's a comfort level for a lot of parents. Micah slept on a pillow until he learned to roll over last week, and that's a big no-no to the SIDS whatevers. But it made him comfy and happy and he never mushed his face in it, at least not when asleep. He has always had excellent head control and will move his face away from anything uncomfortable, proven when he was in bed with me and I pushed a pillow onto his face by accident - he turned his head and pushed with his arms to get free of it. So I feel comfortable with the bumper.

P.S. I freaking love that crib! It's so cute and I love the storage!

MP, you're talking about a pillow for his head? A regular style pillow?

I cannot remember where I read this (and it was a while back when I was deciding whether to get a pillow for Amelia) but I think it's not only a suffocation risk, but a spinal development issue. Babies' bodies are different than an adults. That's why they don't need the support of a pillow. If it's just a regular pillow, it often pitches their head forward - apparently not a desirable position.

Take it with a grain of salt, because I can't remember for the life of me where I read this. Could have been a marketing ploy from an ergonomic pillow company!!

 

[fieryred33143]

I have a bumper in the crib. Always had. The crib set was a gift from my baby brother. I had registered for 3 crib sheets and a crib skirt but he purchased the set because he thought it was pretty for a girls room . Otherwise, I would not have purchased a set.

Anyway, we moved her to her crib at 2 months and quickly learned that she did not move in bed. At all. The girl would stay in the same exact position that we had put her in hours before. When she became a little more mobile, we switched it with the BBs but she freaked out and wasn't sleeping well so we put it back in. Now that she's older, she is all over the crib but she likes to be touching the bumper, mainly her head, feet, or bottom. When we stayed at a hotel, this was an issue as their travel cribs don't come with bumpers and she was really uncomfortable.

This is how we usually find her and no matter how many times I switch her to the center so that her legs have more room, that's how she ends up-in a corner the long way:

 

[MonkeyPie]

I am making a bumper this weekend. (Seriously stoked.) Micah is very mobile, always has been, and once we moved him to the crib he had some serious issues that made me decide we had to have a bumper - the biggest one being that he kept getting his legs stuck in the crib slats. He bumped his head, poked an arm through, basically everything he could possibly do that made him uncomfortable and made him cry. (And me cry, when he banged his head pretty hard.) So he's getting a bumper.

I think it's a comfort level for a lot of parents. Micah slept on a pillow until he learned to roll over last week, and that's a big no-no to the SIDS whatevers. But it made him comfy and happy and he never mushed his face in it, at least not when asleep. He has always had excellent head control and will move his face away from anything uncomfortable, proven when he was in bed with me and I pushed a pillow onto his face by accident - he turned his head and pushed with his arms to get free of it. So I feel comfortable with the bumper.

P.S. I freaking love that crib! It's so cute and I love the storage!

MP, you're talking about a pillow for his head? A regular style pillow?

I cannot remember where I read this (and it was a while back when I was deciding whether to get a pillow for Amelia) but I think it's not only a suffocation risk, but a spinal development issue. Babies' bodies are different than an adults. That's why they don't need the support of a pillow. If it's just a regular pillow, it often pitches their head forward - apparently not a desirable position.

Take it with a grain of salt, because I can't remember for the life of me where I read this. Could have been a marketing ploy from an ergonomic pillow company!!

It was under his upper body, mostly - it held him almost the same way a boppy does. Swaddled, too. He slept all over the house when he was tiny so he didn't get the pillow every single night, but when he did sleep in his bassinet, he had the pillow. My DH was so worried about his chin tucking down that he made sure it wasn't, but we never really had that problem. It makes sense, though, and I hadn't really thought of it - I didn't tell anyone we did this because people would start griping at me about SIDS.

 

[janinegirly]

I think this is one of those things you need to go with your gut on--after educating yourself on all the options of course.

I did buy and use a plushy bumper. Not the thickest kind, but one that was soft enough to prevent head bumping as it is intended for. I bought my bedding all separately from PB so you can go that route if you don't want all the pieces. I got ours from PB because I preferred the style though.

Anyway, I did fret about the bumper a bit, but put it in bc yes it looked pretty and complete to me. I did use a skirt as well. The skirt was low maintenance to me..the hardest part to wash is the crib sheet if you ask me! I definitely considered getting a breathable bumper (was on the registry) but decided to wait until the baby was here and I'm glad I did. This is b/c I ended up co-sleeping (uh oh, even worse than bumpers) for the first few months and by the time she was in the crib she could hold her neck up--and I was pretty familar with her sleep patterns (plus constantly checking on her as I still do). I did take out all stuffed animals etc., move blankets away,etc. (until she was 1). And like Fiery, now that my DD is a toddler she is a mover and without the bumper would have a sore head! (she also tucks her hands in between bumper and mattress like Fiery's DD does!).

TGal/Mara: interesting on pillows. C LOVES sleeping on pillows..but I only see this/let it happen when she's in our bed for a bit. But I can tell she loves it. So I was always curious when kids start sleeping with one..I just assumed it probaby happens once they switch to an actual bed.

 

[TravelingGal]

MP, my friend uses the boppy/pillows for her triplets. They like being in that position (she does this for just hanging out, not for sleeping, btw). But what I noticed is that the babies slide down (gravity!) causing the chin to pitch forward eventually. I think if you are mindful about that, it's probably not much different from a sleep positioner?

 

[Mara]

I put J in his boppy now to feed him since he can mostly hold his bottle or sometimes in the morning lets me prop it so I can also get my food ready before work etc... and he is fine for the most part but sometimes when he's lazy he does slide and his head pitches fwd...it looks so uncomfy! I always move him back but yeah also I felt like when he was smaller that it created a weird 'gap' under their spine if you put the baby head on the boppy but body is in the hole. So sometimes I'd prop something under him so he'd always be on something solid.

I also wondered when the kid is old enough to get a real pillow. When we bring J into bed with us on Sat mornings for a little snuggle I put him on my pillow and he seems to love it but I'd be too paranoid to let him sleep that way, esp since he loves to turn his head and snuggle INTO things rather than just lay on his back.

Fiery, that is how we are finding J more often than not lately! He loves to be lengthwise and on his tummy. Should be good for his little bald patch.

 

[MustangGal]

I have a cute bedding set from Walmart, $80 and included everything. We used the bumpers form the begining, but he was swaddled until he could roll well. The few nights I tried to remove the bumpers he got arms or legs stuck between the slats. Now I leave them in to keep the paci's and his bear in there with him. At 17 months I've been lucky that he hasn't used it to climb out yet...

 

[anchor31]

I've been using a regular bumper from a bedding set we got as a gift. I used it in the beginning when he wasn't moving around in the crib, removed it when he started moving around but not doing so well on his tummy, and then put it back when he started sticking his legs between the bars. By that time his arms and neck were a lot stronger so I wasn't worried about suffocation anymore.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Like the other moms said all you need is a pad and a fitted sheet. I am an ultimate crib sheet fan. I did get a set but it was inexpensive so I don't feel too bad about not using half of it. I took the bumper off at 4 months when DD moved into her crib. FIRST night she got her leg stuck (while wearing a sleep sack BTW) and we were both traumatized. The next day I got a breathable one from BRU. Is it ugly, yes but like Tgal said I guess I have a mover and shaker. Around her first b-day we got her a little pillow from A Step Ahead and started giving her blankets.

 

[MonkeyPie]

MP, my friend uses the boppy/pillows for her triplets. They like being in that position (she does this for just hanging out, not for sleeping, btw). But what I noticed is that the babies slide down (gravity!) causing the chin to pitch forward eventually. I think if you are mindful about that, it's probably not much different from a sleep positioner?

Since we took the pillow out we have been using the positioner since he rolls onto his side the moment we lay him down, and it keeps him on his side longer (and less on his tummy). I used to put a rolled up blanket under his back so he didn't have the gap in the boppy like Mara mentioned. He really doesn't seem to like laying flat, except when he naps on the couch with mommy and I surround him in blankets since I can watch him there. But no way is he getting that much blanky at night! I dunno. Maybe I am more lax than I should be. I just know he likes a squishy surface and the mattress is so stiff.

 

[E B]

If you want to get it for you, great. But your kid doesn't need organic sheets or pretty bumpers. It is hands down, one of the number one things that moms say is a giant waste of money.

I couldn't agree more. The appeal of cute (and often pricey) matching bedding usually wears off when a) you realize you shouldn't use half of it, b) it doesn't look as nice as it did in the photo once washed and assembled, and c) kiddo first pukes/pees/poops on it.

We have a few fitted sheets, a couple waterproof mattress covers, and a breathable bumper. With the bumper, I wanted something that would keep my son's limbs from sticking out and minimize bumps and bruises, but at the same time allow airflow. I just wasn't going to take the chance with a regular plush bumper. Sure, the breathable bumper is ugly, but I honestly couldn't care less. It's probably one of the last things anyone will notice as they enter a nursery.

 

[cara]

There was a good SIDS review article in the New England Journal of Medicine (2009 Aug 20, 361:795) last year, for those of you w/ access or really interested. I think I looked it up for an earlier discussion. Since I am a procrastinating nerd, here are some highlights:

...After the recognition that sleeping in the prone position was associated with SIDS, attention turned to factors that might trigger infant death in this position. Such factors include asphyxia due to airway compression or rebreathing of exhaled gases in the face-down position, impaired heat loss with subsequent hyperthermia when the face is pressed against bedding, impaired cardiorespiratory regulation related to heat stress, and compromised arousal in response to asphyxia generated in the prone position.

One way of conceptualizing the emerging multidisciplinary data is with the Triple-Risk Model... According to this model, SIDS occurs when three factors are present simultaneously. The first factor is an underlying vulnerability in the infant; the second, a critical developmental period; and the third, an exogenous stressor.... SIDS does not cause death in normal infants but, rather, only in vulnerable infants with an underlying abnormality. Therefore, the change to a supine sleep position is effective because once the exogenous stressor (e.g., face-down position) is removed, the vulnerable infant passes through the critical period unharmed.

...Extrinsic risk factors [for SIDS] are physical stressors that would place a vulnerable infant at risk for asphyxia or other homeostatic derangement. Such extrinsic factors include prone and side-sleeping positions, bedclothes that cover the head, sleeping on sofas or other soft furniture in which the infant could become wedged, a high ambient temperature in the sleeping environment, soft bedding, and bed sharing. Although the incidence of a prone sleep position is currently 20% or less, 30 to 50% of infants with SIDS are still found in the prone position.... Approximately 10% of SIDS cases occur in infants who sleep in a supine position and do not share a bed and whose face is not covered by bedclothes. This finding reinforces the points that such risk factors are not causative and that the causes of SIDS are multifactorial.

...ntrinsic factors are postulated to affect the underlying vulnerability of the infant and thus increase the risk of SIDS. Intrinsic risk factors can be subdivided into developmental factors, such as prematurity, and putative genetic factors, such as familial SIDS (i.e., a recurrence of SIDS in subsequent siblings), male sex (by a 2:1 ratio), and race or ethnic group...

Long story short, (at least as far as we know now) SIDS is not *just* a brain issue, or an issue of, say, the baby wedging its head somewhere and being unable to turn it. More of a complex interaction between a brain and/or developmental vulnerability and an external stressor (such as low oxygen related to bedding environment or positioning).

Obviously each person has to make their own call on this, but for me personally I would try to follow the guidelines/best estimate of safe practices unless there is a good reason not to. As in, I woln't get a bumper for aesthetic reasons but maybe the breathable one for kid sticking limbs through the slates. Or I'll try to keep the kiddo sleeping on his back unless he has horrible problems with that position (and then reevaluate).

 

[NovemberBride]

I did not use a bumper for the first few months. They really serve no purpose and I would have felt terribly if my child had died and there was a chance it was due to my need for an aesthetically pleasing crib. That is just my personal thoughts on the matter, everyone has to make their own choices. I am by nature very risk-averse. I did start using a breathable bumper at around 7 months because Olivia was rolling all over and kept getting her legs stuck and would wake up screaming. They are hideous, but they do the job and are considered safe.

I have Restoration Hardware bedding and I love it. We bought just the sheets and the crib skirt. Yes, the crib skirt is wrinkled when you wash it, but that's not particular to RH, I have never seen a bedskirt that didn't need to be pressed. I send ours out to be pressed when I wash it, which isn't that often. $ well spent in my mind. Our crib is pretty bare since we don't have a pretty bumper and we don't use a quilt, but there is so much else in her room (art, photos, chandelier) that it doesn't matter.

 

[Loves Vintage]

These aren't really crib bedding questions, but since they are related topic-wise, I'll ask anyway.

I've noticed several products that are intended to reduce the risk of SIDS. One is a movement sensor/monitor like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Babysense-54965-Infant-Movement-Monitor/dp/B0039UEJCI I mentioned it to a guy I work with because we were discussing baby monitors, and he said I was insane even thinking about it, given that the risk of SIDS is so low. On one hand, it does seem a bit over the top, but on the other hand, it seems a small price to pay to prevent death. Thoughts?

Another product is the sleep positioner, of which there seem to be many varieties. Here is one: http://www.amazon.com/Sassy-Ultimat...ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1279763401&sr=1-7 I thought the idea was that these would prevent the baby's head from moving to the side. But, what if it does? Isn't there a suffocation risk from the positioner itself?

As far as products I'd consider purchasing, I am more interested in the monitor. I notice the positioner often, but don't think I'd buy one, unless I am missing something re: its purpose?

 

[fieryred33143]

LV-I have heard great things about the Angel care monitor which is the same concept. Everyone that has this monitor raves about it (amongst my friends). I think it's a good quality monitor that adds extra ease of mind but I didn't have one personally. I think maybe Tacori had one.

As for the positioner, we loved it and so did Sophia. It was one of those things we received at the shower that we did not register for and are so grateful it was given. We used it around 2 weeks because I noticed Sophia really wanted that extra snug feeling even though she was swaddled. We used it strictly for that. It was harder for us to break her from the positioner than it was to break her from the swaddle.

However, as I mentioned above S didn't move at all in the bassinet or crib. We used one that was completely flat, like sleeping on top of a thin blanket. It was also small. We used to have one that was a bit elevated and had an attached "pillow" but she would end up with her head off of it so we stopped using it.

 

[ljmorgan]

LV I LOVE our Angelcare monitor -- definitely some of the best gear $$$ we spent. I can set the handset to show me my son's movements-- I see the indicator ticking away and feel reassured, I don't have to stand over him to check his breathing all of the time. I have a NICU baby with ongoing health issues and wouldn't feel comfortable having him in his crib away from me without the monitor, I was so worried about him. A warning beep sound if no breathing/movement is detected for 5 seconds, then a full alarm at 15 seconds. "SIDS" covers different types of unexplained deaths which likely cannot all be prevented, but I really think that this monitor could help with suffocation, "forgetting" to breath, etc.

 

[Lanie]

LV -- I'm registering for that moniitor. I didnt know they made them until the girl from Young House Young Love listed it as one of her top 5 things they couldnt live without. I personally didnt want to get a video monitor but would love the peace of mind when our baby sleeps alone in his crib on a totally different floor of the house than we are on. I want to do the layering method that was mentioned on here by someone (forget who) where you have a waterproof pad, then a crib sheet, then pad, the crib sheet, then repeat one more time. That way if there's a blowout in the middle of the night, just rip off layers and you are good to go. I don't know if we need to put the monitor pad at the very bottom, or put it under the layers, or where to put it.

I've been told by so many moms to get the positioner as well, but for the reasons Fiery said, not necessarily for SIDS. But if it works for both, then great!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

LV, I do have the Angel Care, though I never used the movement sensor. I know, silly Tacori. I will say it is an awesome audio monitor I also have the Summer video monitor (which I LOVE) but I prefer the audio on the angel so we use both.

 

[Mara]

I thought about the Angel Care but we already had a video monitor so I didn't want to get something else as well. But if I was going back and purchasing fresh I would probably get it.

re: the layering, we have never had a crib blowout (knock on a ton of wood as I am sure one day we will!) where we needed to strip anything. We have 12 hour diapers on J and I usually do one size bigger so he has plenty of room in them and he hardly ever poops at night. i think it might depend on your kid really!

thanks for posting that snippet, cara. it's basically what i have read also, re: multiple factors.

 

[KimberlyH]

i don't have an angel care monitor but looked into them. i believe i read they go under the matress and it's best to place it on a piece of caardboard, helps to prevent false alarms.

we have the pretty bed set, it's still in it's packing 4m 4w later. my goal is to have baby's room together by 6 months. my nephew co-slept and still used his bedding blanket all the time as he got older. will likely buy a breathable bumper. i am very much risk-averse, like november.

 

[janinegirly]

I did not use a bumper for the first few months. They really serve no purpose and I would have felt terribly if my child had died and there was a chance it was due to my need for an aesthetically pleasing crib. That is just my personal thoughts on the matter, everyone has to make their own choices. I am by nature very risk-averse. I did start using a breathable bumper at around 7 months because Olivia was rolling all over and kept getting her legs stuck and would wake up screaming. They are hideous, but they do the job and are considered safe.

I have Restoration Hardware bedding and I love it. We bought just the sheets and the crib skirt. Yes, the crib skirt is wrinkled when you wash it, but that's not particular to RH, I have never seen a bedskirt that didn't need to be pressed. I send ours out to be pressed when I wash it, which isn't that often. $ well spent in my mind. Our crib is pretty bare since we don't have a pretty bumper and we don't use a quilt, but there is so much else in her room (art, photos, chandelier) that it doesn't matter.

I'm sure I'm reading into this the wrong way, but I don't think people who use bumpers are risking their child's life in order to be "aesthetically pleasing" or because they are risk takers. Even a risk taker does not mean they will be that way with their child's wellbeing! I guess in my view it is one of those inconclusive things and one cannot take heed of every inconclusive study otherwise we'd all live in fear and never sleep. So we pick and choose which we believe are true risks (whether based on fact, statistitical proof or instinct) and which we believe are less so or less so compared to other concerns the supposed risk alleviates. Or we make decisions based on real life experience/instinct once the baby is here. Things like co-sleeping, sleeping on belly, and even the bumper are decision I would never have foreseen for myself but once the baby was here they made sense for other reasons. My baby's crib was in my room (and still is at my parents') and I rarely sleep without one eye open for example (so monitors are redundant in my case although I do have one), and we had concerns over flat head in the beginning (no more) hence the belly sleeping and co-sleeping to hedge the concerns over SIDS, and so on. By the time she was in the crib she was an older baby and now that she is a restless toddler (but yes too short to actually use it to propel yet) the bumper absolutely is a benefit . Just wanted to add context to my earlier post.