Last Updated on September 11, 2026
Are crib bumpers safe? No. Crib bumpers are not recommended for babies because they can create serious safety hazards, including suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation. In the United States, crib bumpers are also banned from being sold or distributed under the Safe Sleep for Babies Act.
If you have seen padded crib bumpers, braided bumpers, or other products designed to cover the inside of a crib, it is understandable to wonder whether they actually make a crib safer. They may look like they protect a baby from bumps or keep little arms and legs from getting between the crib slats.
But adding something soft to the inside of the crib is not the safer choice.
For an infant, the safest sleep space is simple: a firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet and nothing else in the crib.
- Why aren't crib bumpers safe?
- Are crib bumpers banned in the United States?
- Are breathable or mesh crib bumpers safe?
- What should I use instead of a crib bumper?
- What about crib rail covers for teething?
- What does the research say about crib bumpers?
- The bottom line: Are crib bumpers safe?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why aren’t crib bumpers safe?
Crib bumpers were originally designed to cushion babies against the sides of the crib and to prevent them from getting their arms, legs, or head between the slats.
The problem is that the potential benefits are small compared with the safety risks.
A baby can press their face against a padded bumper and have difficulty moving away from it. Bumpers can also create opportunities for entrapment or become a strangulation hazard when ties or other fastening materials are involved.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend bumper pads or similar products that attach to crib sides or slats because of the risk of suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation.
There is also no good evidence that crib bumpers are needed to prevent injuries in a modern crib. Current crib safety standards address hazards such as dangerous spacing between crib slats, so parents do not need to add a bumper for that reason.
What about the space between crib slats?
Older cribs had different safety requirements, which is one reason crib bumpers became popular.
Modern cribs are designed with safety requirements intended to prevent a baby’s head from becoming trapped between the slats. The AAP notes that current crib standards have eliminated the need for bumper pads as protection against head entrapment.
If you are concerned about the distance between your crib’s slats, don’t try to solve the problem by adding a bumper. Instead, make sure the crib meets current safety requirements and has not been recalled.
Related: What Is the Safe Distance Between Crib Slats?
Are crib bumpers banned in the United States?
Yes. This is an important difference between today’s U.S. crib-safety guidance and older information you may still find online.
The Safe Sleep for Babies Act made crib bumpers banned hazardous products in the United States. The ban took effect on November 12, 2022, and the CPSC later issued a final rule codifying the ban.
The CPSC’s definition of a crib bumper includes materials intended to cover the sides of a crib to prevent injury from impacts or to prevent access to openings in the crib sides. It includes padded bumpers, certain vinyl bumper guards, and vertical crib slat covers.
That means businesses cannot legally sell, offer for sale, manufacture for sale, distribute, or import products that fall under the federal definition of a crib bumper in the United States.
Why can you still find crib bumpers online?
This can be confusing for parents.
Even though crib bumpers are banned in the United States, they can still appear in online marketplace listings. The CPSC has continued to issue warnings about banned crib bumpers being sold online, including products sold through TikTok Shop in 2025 and 2026.
So seeing a product listed for sale does not mean that the product has been approved as safe.
If you already have a padded crib bumper, the safest choice is not to use it in your baby’s sleep space.
Are breathable or mesh crib bumpers safe?
This question is a little more complicated because the word “mesh” is used for several different products.
The CPSC’s federal definition of a crib bumper specifically does not include a non-padded mesh crib liner. However, that does not mean that parents need to add a mesh liner to a crib.
The AAP’s safe-sleep guidance recommends keeping bumpers and other unnecessary items out of an infant’s sleep space. So I would not choose a mesh liner simply because it is marketed as “breathable” or as a safer alternative to a padded bumper.
Breathable does not automatically mean necessary or risk-free.
If your crib is properly designed and meets current safety standards, there should be no need to cover the crib slats to create a safe sleep environment.
What should I use instead of a crib bumper?
In most cases, nothing.
For an infant’s sleep space, the safest setup is intentionally simple:
- A crib, bassinet, or portable play yard that meets current safety standards
- A firm, flat mattress
- A properly fitted sheet
- Your baby placed on their back for sleep
- No crib bumper
- No pillows
- No loose blankets
- No stuffed animals or other soft objects
This is consistent with the AAP’s safe-sleep recommendations.
If your concern is that your baby is bumping against the crib sides, remember that occasional contact with the crib itself is not a reason to add a padded bumper.
If you are concerned about a specific problem with your crib—such as damaged slats, an improperly fitting mattress, or an older crib—it is better to address that particular safety issue rather than adding a soft product to the crib.
What about crib rail covers for teething?
A crib rail cover is different from a traditional crib bumper.
Some babies start chewing on the top rail of their crib when they are teething. Parents may therefore look for a product designed specifically to protect the top rail from chewing rather than covering the inside of the crib.
These products should not be confused with padded crib bumpers that cover the sides of the crib.
If you’re looking for a way to protect your baby’s crib from teething damage, see our guide to crib teething rail covers.
What does the research say about crib bumpers?
Concerns about crib bumpers are not new.
Earlier research identified infant deaths associated with bumper pads and described several possible mechanisms, including suffocation against soft bumpers, entrapment, and strangulation from bumper ties. The AAP has continued to cite this evidence in its safe-sleep recommendations.
Importantly, research has not shown that crib bumpers provide enough benefit to outweigh these potential risks. That is why today’s recommendation is much simpler than the advice parents may have encountered years ago:
There is no reason to add a crib bumper to an otherwise safe crib.
The bottom line: Are crib bumpers safe?
No. Crib bumpers are not recommended for infant sleep.
They were originally intended to protect babies from bumps and prevent their limbs from getting caught between crib slats, but modern crib safety standards mean they are not necessary for those purposes.
More importantly, bumpers can create hazards such as suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation. The AAP recommends keeping them out of an infant’s sleep space, and crib bumpers are federally banned products in the United States.
If you’re preparing your baby’s crib, you don’t need to make it softer or more padded. A bare crib with a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet is the safer choice.