Crib bumpers and mesh bumpers: are they safe?

Q: Crib bumpers and mesh bumpers: are they safe?

No. Under the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, which took effect on November 12, 2022, padded crib bumpers can no longer be sold in the United States, and the AAP’s guidance is that bumper pads don’t belong in your baby’s bed. Non-padded mesh liners fall outside the law, yet the CPSC still advises “Bare is Best”: a fitted sheet and nothing else in the crib.

The law on crib bumpers

Signed into law on May 16, 2022, the Safe Sleep for Babies Act made crib bumpers banned hazardous products in the United States from November 12, 2022, no matter when a given bumper was manufactured. Selling, manufacturing for sale, distributing and importing them are all prohibited.

Under the law, a crib bumper is any material intended to cover a crib’s sides to prevent injury. The definition covers:

Padded crib bumpers
Vinyl bumper guards, supported or unsupported
Vertical crib slat covers

Non-padded mesh crib liners are not part of the definition. If a bumper came to you as a gift or bundled with a crib set, please don’t hand it on to another family; throwing it away is the safest option.

Guidance from the AAP and CPSC

The AAP’s parent website puts it plainly: keep blankets, pillows, stuffed toys and bumper pads out of your baby’s bed. Loose bedding and soft objects can raise the risk of entrapment, suffocation or strangulation. According to the NIH Safe to Sleep campaign, research ties crib bumpers, along with any bedding beyond a fitted sheet, to sleep-related deaths.

For a crib, bassinet or play yard, the CPSC’s shorthand is “Bare is Best”: a fitted sheet and nothing more. Across its 2018 to 2020 data, the CPSC reported an average of 100 deaths a year, most of them linked to extra bedding like pillows, blankets or comforters.

If frequent waking in the crib is what has you considering bumpers, that waking is its own problem, and it has a safe solution. Actually Sleeping tackles it while the crib stays bare.

Where mesh liners fit in

Because the law’s definition excludes them, mesh liners can still legally be sold. Being legal to sell doesn’t make them recommended, though. The CPSC still advises a fitted sheet only, and nothing else appears on the AAP’s list of what belongs in a crib. If you already own one, removing it is the safest choice.

Safe answers to the problems bumpers promised to fix

Worry	The safe answer
Head bumping the slats	Knocking against the slats is usually more noise than harm. Inspect the crib itself: MedlinePlus advises slats spaced no more than 2 3/8 inches apart, roughly the width of a soda can.
Arm or leg stuck between slats	It is frustrating and it wakes babies, but a stuck arm or leg is simple to free. Wearing a sleep sack can cut down how often it happens. Never add slat covers or padding.
Drafts	Rather than putting anything in the crib, dress your baby in layers or a sleep sack.
Noise of head banging	Pull the crib slightly away from the wall and tighten its bolts. Read head banging and rocking at bedtime.

If waking is the real issue

A lot of parents start looking at bumpers because of waking: a leg through the slats, a knock against the side, a baby who rolls into a corner and cries. Padding wouldn’t solve any of that, and it isn’t safe. When a baby wakes at every small disturbance and can’t fall back asleep without help, the usual issue is getting back to sleep between sleep cycles, and that can be fixed. Actually Sleeping focuses on exactly that, with the crib kept bare: Dr. Sam writes a plan for your baby, and you get bootcamp-style coaching before the first night plus daily 1:1 check-ins. Listen to parents in our 129 client video reviews.

Hand-me-down and older cribs

A second-hand crib should be checked against current standards: no drop sides, slats spaced no more than 2 3/8 inches apart, all hardware present, and a firm mattress with a snug fit. MedlinePlus is clear that drop-rail cribs are unsafe for babies. Take out any padding, positioners or bumpers that came with the crib.

When your baby starts standing, anything left in the crib can turn into a step. That is another reason to keep it bare and lower the mattress early; read when your baby stands up in the crib.

If crib waking is what led you to bumpers in the first place, book a free consultation with Actually Sleeping.

Want your baby sleeping like this?

With Actually Sleeping you get 1:1 coaching: Dr. Sam writes a sleep plan for your baby, we coach you bootcamp-style before the first night, and we check in daily until it is working. We have coached 700+ families, collected 129 video reviews, and put our guarantee in writing: 8–12 hours through the night within 14 days, or a full refund.

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Common questions

What about breathable mesh bumpers?

The law leaves non-padded mesh liners out, so they aren’t banned. Even so, the CPSC recommends a fitted sheet only, and no bumper of any type appears in the AAP’s description of a safe crib. Skipping the liner altogether is the safest option.

What should I do when my baby’s leg keeps getting stuck in the slats?

Calmly free the leg. Using a sleep sack can make it happen less often. Don’t add bumpers, padding or slat covers; the Safe Sleep for Babies Act bans vertical slat covers. If your baby wakes all the way up every time, it is the waking that needs attention.

Are bumpers okay once my baby becomes a toddler?

The U.S. ban on selling padded crib bumpers applies no matter how old the child is, and a toddler who can stand may use any bumper as a step to climb out. At every age, keep the crib bare.