Crib bumper and bed structure formed therewith

A bed structure, comprising:

• a mattress, having a perimeter and a sleeping surface, carried by a bedstead including enclosing sides encircling the perimeter of the mattress and extending upwardly with respect to the sleeping surface defining an enclosed space overlying the sleeping surface;
• a base positioned between the bedstead and the mattress, the base having a continuous sidewall encircling the perimeter of the mattress;
• bumper elements, each bumper element having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end being coupled to the sidewall of the base, the bumper elements being arranged along the sidewall such that a portion of each bumper element abuts a portion of an adjacent bumper element, each bumper element extending upright from the sleeping surface of the mattress and adjacent to the enclosing sides of the bedstead, the bumper elements configured to provide a protective barrier between the enclosing sides of the bedstead and the enclosed space overlying the sleeping surface of the mattress;
• and
• upper and lower gaps formed between adjacent bumper elements, the upper gap being formed between the upper ends of adjacent bumper elements, and the lower gap being formed between the lower ends of adjacent bumper elements.