Parents in Chicago can no longer buy crib bumpers from stores in their city. Bumpers, or padded material set inside the crib, are used in sometimes for decoration or to protect the baby's head from hitting the wooden sides of the crib, but they have also been cited by some for safety concerns. Last week Chicago's city council passed an ordinance that bans the sale of crib bumpers. The city leaders felt federal regulators were not educating consumers regarding the potential suffocation risks associated with bumpers, so they've voted to pull them from shelves in their city. The state of Maryland is considering a similar ban. Meanwhile, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is conducting an investigation.
If you love bumpers, there are alternatives on the market, including some made of mesh that are more breathable and a brand known as Wonder Bumpers that are wrapped around the individual slats of the crib.
