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Many infant deaths have been connected with crib bumpers which is at an all time high in recent years in the United States which made the researchers propose a ban on the bedding accessories. Between 2006 and 2012, the deaths associated with cribs has tripled, says the new study. Dr. Bradley Thatch, a professor emeritus of pediatrics from Washington University of Medicine at St. Louis said, "The risk for suffocation is real. The benefits are not." He added, "It's a problem that's been a matter of discussion for some time now. The difference now is that with these findings we are trying to get the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to finally ban the use of bumpers altogether," reported Medical News Today. According to the data from the research, it reveals how dangerous the bumpers are. The baby's face can get between the mattress and the bumper causing asphyxiation, he pointed out. He also added, "The baby's breathing can get completely blocked, or the baby ends up repeatedly breathing the same air in and out. This continuous 're-breathing' means that with every breath the air is increasingly depleted of oxygen, until eventually the baby suffocates."

Some parents falsely believe that the padding helps their babies from bumping their heads against the rails. However, Thatch said, "but we've found that if and when it happens, the result is only a minor bruise. Padded bumpers are also designed to prevent things like limb entrapment [in crib slats], which can be done more safely with mesh bumpers." Thatch along with his colleagues working on the research published the findings in the Journal of pediatrics. There are also other experts who believe that the greater risk to infant's safety comes from other crib objects such as blankets, pillows and comforters due to threat of SIDS (Sudden infant death syndrome), as reported by WebMD.