Why do cribs have bars

We have been using regular bumpers since she's been able to rolls around efficiently on her own for the same reasons. Her arms and legs get stuck between the bars and she also tends to bang her head on them. So up went the bumper. Cardboard would work too!

Slats aren't for ventilation - they're for keeping your kid from escaping. I also have this concern about mesh bumpers.

My guy climbs everything it seems and is quite the daredevil. I use the mesh bumpers and don't have an issue. The mattress has since been lowered, and the bumper pad removed. Wow, so sorry that happened to the little guy, it sounds scary for both of you! I wonder if there is any difference between the shape of the bars. It seems from your picture that yours are flat slats?

On our crib, the bars are round. I do agree, there definitely needs to be a better crib design. Mesh certainly would have been an improvement for that stage. Well, maybe some generation will get it right, they will look back at us like we do with previous generations and wonder what we were thinking putting our kids in those things!! I bet it would probably be a lot harder to get stuck in them. Maybe plastic coated wire or something?

This would be such an awesome design project. Then start from scratch with a high-quality, lead-free enamel check the paint label to make sure your choice is safe as a nursery item.

For a natural nursery, stick to non-toxic paint with zero volatile organic compounds VOCs. Make sure the mattress fits snugly against the inside of the crib. To ensure crib safety, try the two-finger test: If you can fit more than two fingers — Mom's, not Dad's if he has big hands — between the mattress and the crib, the mattress isn't a good fit.

The harder it is for you to make the bed, the better for your baby. Prefer to simply make sure that the numbers line up? Also, if the mattress is new, pull off that plastic and throw it away immediately. Make sure, too, that the mattress itself is firm, since soft mattresses raise the risk of SIDS. Instead of going by the firmness level on the mattress label, test it yourself: If you push down hard, the mattress should stay firm and spring right back.

Make sure never to put plush toys or soft bedding in the crib with your baby and that includes the adorable pillow and comforter that comes with the crib bedding set because they can pose a suffocation hazard. For babies 12 to 18 months, a transitional object like a small stuffed animal or a thin blanket can help with sleep challenges and is considered safe.

You should avoid crib bumper pads altogether, even after your tot turns 1 and the SIDS risk has dropped dramatically. You'll also want to avoid cribs with headboards and footboards with pretty decorative cutouts, which are prohibited by the CPSC. And always pass on a hand-me-down drop-side crib. Make sure that if you plan on having your baby start out in a bassinet or portable crib with bassinet features, you also need to follow similar best safety practices for that kind of crib too.

That includes, among other things, avoiding bumpers, pillows, toys and soft bedding and making sure the mattress fits snugly into the bassinet i.

As with cribs, having the newest model bassinet or portable crib is strongly recommended. According to ChildrensMD, babies who are 7 to 9 months old are particularly prone to getting legs or feet stuck in the slats of the crib. Upset and unable to free the limb, these babies will cry until help arrives and then promptly get the other foot stuck between crib slats.

It is a rough situation for everyone. Although this scenario is concerning for babies and parents alike, the risk of injury from getting stuck in the crib slats is relatively minor. As long as the crib meets the CPSC standards, a foot or leg might get caught between the slats, but nothing more. The baby's head or torso is not likely to get stuck.