The American Academy of Pediatrics and other safety groups have long recommended against the use of crib bumpers because of links to suffocation and infant death. Now, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning against their use.
In their statement, they conclude, “In our view, they do nothing more than contribute to the deadly clutter in many of our nation’s cribs…. We believe that there is a clear risk of injury or death associated with padded crib bumpers.” Despite this statement and the data on infant deaths caused by crib bumpers, they did ban them.
Infant sleep experts and the American Academy of Pediatrics also issued a statement, welcoming the warning but expressing frustration at the lack of a ban.
When it comes to infant sleep and preventing sleep-related deaths, bare is best. There is no role for crib bumpers. They don’t provide any protection or help the baby in any way. They only look pretty. They should not be used, and stores should stop displaying pretty cribs with lots of bumpers, pillows, and other soft objects, all of which are associated with infant deaths.
Updated AAP Sleep Guidelines (October 2016)
