A cot bumper runs along the bars of the cot. It catches what a baby would otherwise meet there: hard slats, draughts, and an arm or leg slipping between the bars. But what size do you need, how many bumpers, and how do you attach one properly? Below is everything you need to know about Soosie cot bumpers.
Cot bumper, bed bumper or head protector?
Three names for the same thing. You will also come across padded liner and playpen bumper. It is always a soft, padded band that you tie to the inside of the bars. We call it a cot bumper, but if you search for bed bumper you end up at the same products.
180 cm in one piece, folding into three 60 cm panels
All long Soosie cot bumpers are 180 cm long and made in one piece. The bumper folds into three 60 cm panels and so follows the corners of the bed by itself: you lay it in a U around three sides of a standard 60 × 120 cm cot. You fasten it with eight tie ribbons on the outside of the bars.
Our bumpers suit cots of 60 × 120 cm and 70 × 140 cm. On the larger size, one bumper covers proportionally less of the bed.
How many do you need?
- One bumper — enough for three sides. That is the most common set-up: the head end and the two sides where your baby's head reaches the bars.
- Two bumpers — if you want to cover the cot all the way round.
- Is the cot against the wall? Then one is enough, or choose the three-piece set. That one does consist of three separate rolls of Ø 9 × 50 cm, which you place side by side.
Height: 30 or 32 cm
The CLASSIC and TEDDY versions are 30 cm high. The FRILL has a 2 cm ruffle along the top edge, making it 32 cm. That is not a practical difference, but a choice about looks.
The height decides how far the bumper rises above the mattress. If you lower the base of the cot later, the same bumper still works; you simply tie it one row of bars lower.
Which fabric?
- CLASSIC — plain cotton, in several colours. The airiest and the easiest to combine. A good choice if you may change colours later.
- FRILL — the same cotton with a delicate ruffle along the top edge, in white and colours. Matches the FRILL baby nests.
- TEDDY — double-sided: teddy on one side, cotton on the other. Flip it over when the season changes, teddy for winter and cotton for summer.
All cot bumpers are filled with anti-allergenic polyester fibre and made in the European Union. They come from the same collections as the baby nests and decorative cushions, so you can keep the room in one fabric and colour.
How to attach it
- Place the bumper on the inside of the bars, with the bottom edge on the mattress.
- Tie all eight ribbons to the outside of the bars — tightly, so the bumper cannot slip down or bulge.
- Cut or tie the ends of the ribbons short. Do not leave any loops hanging.
- After each wash, check that all ribbons are still secure.
Safe use: what to watch
A cot bumper is not a toy and not a pillow. A few points to keep an eye on while it is in the cot:
- Tie it tightly — a loose bumper can shift or bulge. Pull the ribbons firmly and check them regularly.
- Ribbons on the outside — always knot them outside the bars, never on the inside where your baby can reach them.
- Short ends, no loops — trim long trailing ribbons.
- Nothing resting on or against it — no soft toys, blankets or cushions that could fall onto it.
- Remove it once your child can pull up to stand — from that moment the bumper can act as a step. That is the clearest signal to take it out of the cot.
Until what age?
Not until a certain age, but until a certain moment: as soon as your baby can pull up to stand at the edge of the cot. When that happens differs from child to child, and it often comes sooner than parents expect. So watch what your child can do, not the calendar. The first time you see your baby push themselves up on the bars, that is the sign.
What to look for when buying
- Length and layout — 180 cm in one piece with three panels folds into the corners by itself. Separate parts give more freedom but have to be lined up individually.
- Fabric — cotton breathes best and is pleasant on warmer nights. Teddy is warmer and softer; double-sided gives you both.
- Fastening — the more tie points, the less the bumper can shift. Ours have eight.
- Filling — soft enough to cushion bumps, firm enough not to sag.
- Washability — everything in a baby's bed ends up in the wash. Check whether the bumper is machine washable.
Washing
Machine wash at 30 °C on a delicate cycle, spin at low speed, do not tumble dry. Dry flat and fluff the filling now and then to keep its shape. Small stains come out in between with a damp cloth and mild soap. More about this in Washing teddy, velvet, and muslin.
Matching the baby nest
Our cot bumpers come from the same collections as the baby nests and the decorative cushions. Choose a bumper from the line of your nest and the bed is in one fabric and one colour — without hunting for something that roughly matches. That is exactly why the combination is given so often as a new baby gift.
View all Soosie cot bumpers.