‘Safe Sleep for Babies Act,’ passed by House in 2021, now goes to President for signature
CR urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using inclined sleepers and crib bumper pads; a baby should sleep alone, on their back, on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet, or play yard, with no extra padding or loose objects like pillows, blankets, or toys in their space
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Consumer Reports today applauded the U.S. Senate for approving the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, a vital bill to help assure parents and caregivers that products marketed for infant sleep truly are safe. The bill would ban infant inclined sleepers and crib bumpers, two products that are not safe for infant sleep, yet have been sold for over a decade and are associated with over 200 reported infant deaths.
Oriene Shin, policy counsel for Consumer Reports, said, “This critical legislation will help parents keep their babies safe and give them greater clarity in the marketplace. People should be able to trust that if baby products are for sale, they’re safe. There is no place on store shelves or online listings for infant products that fail to align with expert safe sleep guidelines. We commend Congress for taking action to help parents and caregivers keep their babies safe, and we urge the President to sign the bill into law without delay.”
Infant inclined sleep products and crib bumper pads conflict with American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) safe sleep recommendations for infants to sleep alone, on their back, on a firm, flat surface, with no extra padding or loose objects like pillows, blankets, or toys in their space. At least 94 deaths are linked to infant inclined sleepers and at least 113 deaths are linked to crib bumpers.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a final rule for infant sleep products that both restricts the back angle of sleepers and includes essential safety requirements for flat sleep products that previously have been unregulated. The independent safety agency is also working on a standard for crib bumpers and liners that would effectively prohibit the most hazardous products. CR supports the CPSC’s work, and also considers the Safe Sleep for Babies Act a vital measure to protect infants.
Shin added, “This bill’s passage is a testament to the hard work of courageous parents who have lost a child. While experiencing unimaginable pain, they have shared their stories with journalists, policymakers, and consumer advocates. They’ve fought for change—and succeeded—and their efforts will save countless lives.”
H.R. 3182 was introduced by Reps. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) in the House. In the Senate, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) have played a leading role on legislation to prohibit infant inclined sleepers and crib bumpers. In addition to CR and the American Academy of Pediatrics, H.R. 3182 is supported by numerous health and safety groups, including the Consumer Federation of America and Kids in Danger.
A CR investigation revealed that numerous infant deaths were associated with inclined sleepers, helping prompt the recall of more than five million of the products since April 2019. CR continues to advocate for strong product safety protections and recommends that anyone with an infant inclined sleeper or crib bumpers should immediately stop using them.
Media Contact: David Butler, david.butler@consumer.org