While the companies say the rockers are not intended for sleep, reports from parents and healthcare providers to the CPSC show that caregivers sometimes use the products for that purpose, which can lead to suffocation.
The announcements come as the CPSC’s rule for infant sleep products is set to take effect next week. The rule requires that all products marketed or intended for infant sleep conform to one of the current mandated standards for sleep-related products—cribs, bassinets, play yards, or bedside sleepers.
Like the American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Reports’ safety experts recommend that babies sleep alone, on their back, on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet, or play yard, with only a fitted sheet and no added items such as blankets, pillows, padded crib bumpers, or toys in their sleeping space. If parents or caregivers are having trouble with infant sleep, the best bet is to ask their pediatrician for help.
In 2019, CR reported that dozens of infant deaths were tied to Fisher-Price’s Rock ’n Play Sleeper and Kids2 rocking sleepers. Both manufacturers subsequently recalled the products. Last month, President Joe Biden signed the Safe Sleep for Babies Act into law, banning these inclined sleepers, as well as padded crib bumpers. In June 2021, Fisher-Price also recalled about 120,000 of its 4-in-1 Rock ’n Glide Soothers after the baby product was linked to at least four infant deaths.
When asked why Fisher-Price did not conduct a recall, a company spokesperson said the “product is safe and provides infants and toddlers with a seat to relax and play, as both a rocker and stationary chair.” Given the increased reporting on infant deaths linked to juvenile products in the past several years, CR asked if there were any additional deaths associated with Fisher Price’s products. The spokesperson said that it provides “data to CPSC on every reported fatality in our products.”
Kids2 did not respond to either question.
CR’s Oriene Shin, CR’s policy counsel for product safety, says companies must do better. “Product designs should put infants’ safety first, especially where there’s a foreseeable possibility that a baby will fall asleep. If a death or injury does happen, manufacturers must immediately evaluate how to redesign the product to minimize risk—and if they can’t, they need to remove the product from the marketplace.”
If you have had a safety incident with any product, you can report it to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov.
