Equipping a room for their baby, which will soon be born, parents will definitely get special sides for the crib. These are soft inserts in the lattice of the bed, which not only make the sleeping place more comfortable, but also prevent injuries to the child. What are the sides in the crib for newborns, how to choose such an accessory or make it yourself, is described below.

Why do we need sides in the crib for a newborn

Understanding for what purposes the sides in the crib for a newborn are needed, first of all you need to talk about the safety of the child. When the baby was just recently born, its bones are fragile and thin. A handle or foot stuck in the lattice of the bed can not only frighten the baby, but also lead to serious injury. Such problems have become especially popular recently when parents began to refuse swaddling from the first month of the baby's life.

In addition, the sides protect the child’s body parts from bruises on a hard tree.

From about 4-5 months old, children begin to toss and turn very actively in the crib, constantly touching the grilles not only with their arms and legs, but even their heads.

Contribute to the sides and create a comfortable psychological environment around the baby. He will not be scared by a third-party item or guests who suddenly come to their parents at a late hour.The kid, seeing soft soft borders around him in a pleasant color, falls asleep faster, without being distracted by foreign objects.

If the house is cool and there are drafts, the accessory discussed must be in the crib of the child. They protect the baby from the flow of fresh air, prevent colds.

If the child sleeps with a dummy, then the presence of sides in the crib has another indisputable plus. They prevent the nipples from falling to the floor, for example, in the middle of a sweet night's sleep.

Given all the above advantages of the accessory, we can definitely say that the sides should be hung in a crumb crib. True, doctors note some of their shortcomings:

  • In the heat in a bed with a dense bumper it becomes especially hot. When the grilles are covered with a soft pad, the flow of fresh air into the bed is impeded.
  • The accessory quickly accumulates a large amount of dust on itself. It is often necessary to wash it, so as not to harm the baby's health.
  • For a child older than 6 months, the sides can serve as a stepping stone when he gets up and walks on the bed.

Types of soft bumpers in a crib

Now in the sales centers you can find a wide variety of soft bumpers for cots.

Among them stand out:

  1. Solid. Such sides are stretched onto the grilles with a continuous web. True, some options are supplied with numerous ties that greatly complicate the process. Solid sides are hung in both rectangular and round cribs.
  2. Bead pillows. This thick warm accessory is especially good for the cold season. Pillows can be fastened together or simply mounted side by side. Some options look like a patchwork quilt and consist of many small pillows. They are fastened together and hung around the perimeter of the bed.
  3. Flanges with pockets. Usually they are a continuous soft canvas on which pockets with a diverse design are located. They can be both inside and outside the crib. It is convenient to fold nipples, bottles, toys, diapers and any accessories that can come in handy during sleep in pockets.
  4. Rollers. This version of the sides (they consist of small rollers) is used infrequently by parents. The accessory does not protect the child from shock. It is relevant only for a very hot room, as it allows access to fresh air to the beds.

Also the sides can be high and low. The former cover the entire lattice of the crib as a whole, while the latter cover only its lower part. The latter is appropriate to purchase if they are planned to be used exclusively in the first few months of a child’s life. Then they will be useless.

Fabric and filler selection

It is very important that the sides in the crib are made of quality fabric. It is desirable that it is easily washed, quickly dried and did not rub the delicate baby skin. The best option is natural cotton. Flax can also be used. But polyester is not suitable for the manufacture of the discussed accessory.

As for the filler for the sides, the following options are most often used:

  1. Foam rubber. This material is soft and well protects the child from injuries, but it requires very thorough drying after each wash. Otherwise, harmful microorganisms will accumulate in the foam.
  2. Synthetic winterizer. This is a cheap, soft material that erases well and dries quickly. It does not form a fungus.
  3. Hollofiber. This is the best option for filler for sides. Safe, non-toxic, inexpensive. Such material does not hold moisture. It is easily erased, instantly dries. Very wear resistant.
  4. Periotek. Flexible, washable and, most importantly, hypoallergenic filler.
  5. Holkon. Wear-resistant material that does not cause allergy in the crumbs. Excellent heat retention.

Can I sew soft sides with my own hands?

To save money, you can sew the sides in the crib for newborns with your own hands.To do this, on the expanses of the network will be able to find patterns of any type of bumper. But you can do without them. For this case, there is the simplest scheme for sewing the sides.

Execution Sequence:

  1. Remove the size of the crib.
  2. Since cribs often have the same standard parameters, it will be possible to use the following measurements: the height of large parts is 123 cm, the width is 43 cm, the height of small parts is 63 cm, the width is 43 cm.
  3. Need to sew 4 pieces of each size.
  4. For frills, take pieces of suitable matter. Length - 180 cm, width - 7 cm. Smooth frills with an iron.
  5. Cut the filler according to the specified dimensions of the parts.
  6. With your hands, make bends in the parts, put frills in them and sew each pair of parts from three sides at once.
  7. Sew the remaining parts after adding filler.
  8. Add strings. You can replace them with Velcro. Https: //www.youtube.com/watch? V = 9yQ9p9HfZq8

Decoration Tips for Boy, Girl

To make the bed cozy and beautiful, you will need to sew the sides in the crib, and effectively place them. For a boy, you should use fabrics with the image of various equipment, animals, birds or cut funny figures separately and sew them on an already finished accessory. For girls, you can decorate the sides with ruffles, lace, as well as images of princesses, flowers.

Do not choose a white bumper for your baby's crib. Otherwise, mom will have to wash the accessory literally every couple of days. If you really want to make the bed of your prince or princess snow-white, then you need to take care of a cloak or cover for the sides on the inside. Especially if the baby is only a couple of weeks old, he often spits up and periodically lies naked in bed.

In no case can you draw the sides with any small details. Especially beads, rhinestones, sequins. Even the newborn’s handles are quite strong, so he can tear off the shiny part that attracts him and put it in his mouth.

Too bright drawings on the accessory are undesirable. It is better to abandon the use of voluminous jewelry, with which the child can play for a long time, forgetting about sleep.

How to wash the sides

It is advisable to clean the sides at least once every two weeks.

If the baby is not active and rarely touches the bumper, you can clean the accessory as it becomes dirty.

This can be done both manually and in a washing machine. The choice of the method of washing primarily depends on the filler of the product. For example, it is better to wash the accessory with foam rubber manually so as not to spoil its shape.

If the sides are machine washable, it is worth choosing a gentle mode for them at minimum temperatures. Be sure to choose only odorless hypoallergenic baby powder.