Even After Rock ’N Play Recall, Inclined Infant Sleepers Still Pose Risks
On April 12, 2019, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Fisher-Price was recalling about 4.7 million Rock ’n Play infant sleepers because of risks that could lead to death.
Fisher-Price had received over 30 reports of infant deaths occurring in Rock ’N Play sleepers since the products came on the market in 2009.
Other manufacturers, meanwhile, continue to sell infant inclined sleepers. According to Consumer Reports (CR), despite the Fisher-Price recall, infant sleeper deaths continue to rise, with at least 50 babies now known to have died in infant inclined sleep products.
U.S. Representative Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) recently introduced a new law that would ban all inclined sleepers with an inclined surface of greater than 10 degrees made for infants up to one year of age.
CPSC and AAP Recommend Against Using Any Inclined Infant Sleeper
The CPSC has long recommended against using inclined infant sleepers. The commission released an alert about it in May 2018, advising parents to use a crib, bassinet, or play yard instead. Those using infant sleepers were advised to always use the restraints and to stop using the products as soon as infants could rollover.
Inclined sleepers allow babies to sleep at about a 30-degree angle. This position is not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). That organization actually called on the CPSC to recall the Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play inclined sleepers in early April 2019, while at the same time urging parents to stop using them.
“The product is deadly and should be recalled immediately,”
Kyle Yasuda, MD, FAAP, president of the AAP, stated in a news release. The AAP advised against inclined sleep products on the whole, or “any other products for sleep that require restraining a baby,” because of the risk that the baby could roll over or turn into an unsafe position, be unable to move, and end up suffocating.
New Bill Proposes Banning All Inclined Infant Sleepers
On June 10, 2019, Representative Cárdenas introduced the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2019, with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introducing a companion bill in the Senate.
Both bills would ban all inclined sleepers designed for babies under one-year-old with an inclined surface greater than 10 degrees. The Congressman pointed to the deaths linked with these sleepers, the Fisher-Price recall, and the fact that other similarly dangerous models remain available.
“Inclined sleep products are dangerous and should not be on the market,”
said American Academy of Pediatrics CEO/Executive Vice President (Interim) Mark Del Monte, JD. “The American Academy of Pediatrics applauds Representative Tony Cárdenas for his leadership and is calling on lawmakers to advance the legislation.”
Inclined infant sleepers that remain on sale include the SwaddleMe By Your Bed Sleeper and the DayDreamer Sleeper Baby Lounger Seat and Travel Bed for Infants.