Crib Cozies: A Nice Alternative to Bumpers

Crib Bumpers. Dun dun duh! A very popular product and a very touchy subject with moms today. Most safety advocates tell you to remove all soft bedding from your crib...including those uber popular, pretty crib bumpers. It's quite controversial.

I chose not to use them. I wanted to be on the safe side and with all the research out there advocating both sides of the story, I figured I would err on the side of caution.

Then I had a son who absolutely LOVES to sleep with his face smooshed up against something. In his bassinet, the bug would scoot as close as possible to side. When he slept in his EuroTote , his entire face would be turned toward the side, cramming his face toward the soft cotton. No matter what we did, this was how he chose to sleep.

So when we transitioned to our crib last month, I wasn't sure what to do. I was fairly certain I didn't want the traditional soft, flimsy bumpers. The first few weeks I just stuck blankets around the edges of his crib so he couldn't stick his feet out the slats and again, so he could put his face against something if he wanted to. It didn't really work as he would end up grabbing the blankets and pulling them out from under the mattress. (Strong little bugger.)

Then we receive a FABULOUS gift - Engage Environment's Crib Cozies . There is no other word for them; they are AWESOME. The bug just loves them. Each set includes two wedges and two cylinders that are covered with plush slipcovers that are easily removed for laundering (as we tested when he was sick last week :()These iParenting Award winners are firm but soft, so he has something to cuddle against. They aren't floppy at all, so I don't worry about him re-breathing stale air. Even if he's right up against them, he still has room for his mouth and nose. Plus, they are really pretty!

Engage Environments mission to create a calm sleep environment. They wanted to meet the developmental needs of infants and young children by using soothing textures and consistency of surroundings, making the crib free of visual stimulation. I admit I sort of break that rule as you can see from our ever-fabulous Baby Star sheet. It's VERY bright and very busy.



If you are looking for an alternative to the standard crib bumper, the Crib Cozie is the way to go. And better still, when your child is able to pull up (time to TAKE OUT the bumpers and cozies) you can continue to use them for playtime outside of the crib. I give them four stars!

Engage Environments also sells Banded Crib Sheets, Adjustable Bed Skirts and Lovey Blankets. Available at Coastal Cuties