No More Crib Bumper Pads?

The warnings have been out for years: Don't put bumper pads on your baby's crib. They can cause suffocation. Don't use blankets or stuffed animals. The crib should contain a tight fitting sheet and the baby. That's it. I have been waiting for crib bumper pads to get banned. It looks like someone is finally taking steps to make it happen.
FROM NBC: They're designed to be cute and comfortable, but crib bumpers can pose a deadly danger to babies, according to Maryland state health officials. The head of Maryland's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is calling for a ban on the sale of bumpers to save babies from potential suffocation.
Kerry Cavanaugh has the details from Baltimore. The Kotsis family welcomed baby Dio three months ago. Now, he's getting ready to move into the crib once occupied by big brother James. When mom Eleni designed the nursery, the first thing she picked out was the bedding.
"We put it on there because we were excited parents and we thought it was so cute."
The set came complete with a blanket and a padded crib bumper, designed to protect a baby from rolling into the hard crib slats.
"We had it just like this we weren't worried because he's not rolling over." But once James, now two, became mobile, his parents worried that his face may get pressed against the bumper and cut off his airflow.
"..then thought we need to get these out of here!" They did the right thing, according to state health officials. The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is proposing a ban on the sale of crib bumpers...deeming the nursery staples suffocation hazards.
Dr. David Fowler/Chief Medical Examiner: "You don't have to have the bumper on top of the child... close is restrictive enough." The Kotsis believe they've found a good compromise this mesh barrier that fits inside the crib.
Eleni Kotsis/Mother: "We still wanted bumpers because we were afraid the babies hands would come thru the slats or his leg could get caught. i did a little test and you can breathe thru it, felt confident baby could breathe thru it." The proposed ban doesn't distinguish between mesh and traditional bumpers. health officials say the safest way to put your child to sleep is on his back in an empty crib.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says it's in the process of reviewing the safety of crib bumpers. The state ban, if approved, would take effect in 2013, and would make exceptions for older children or those with special needs.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen