Parents and caregivers warned to immediately stop using Boppy newborn loungers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced that Boppy has agreed to recall more than 3 million of its newborn loungers because of a risk of suffocation. According to the CPSC, there have been reports to the agency of eight infant deaths by suffocation that are linked to Boppy newborn loungers. The recalled products include the Boppy Original Newborn Lounger, the Boppy Preferred Newborn Lounger, and the Pottery Barn Kids Newborn Boppy Lounger.
Owners of a Boppy newborn lounger should immediately stop using the product and contact the company for a full refund. This recall comes nearly a year after the CPSC released a general warning about safety risks associated with the use of pillow-like products for infant sleep. Expert medical recommendations, including from the American Academy of Pediatrics, urge parents and caregivers to have infants sleep alone in their own space, on their backs, in a safe sleep environment, such as a crib, bassinet, or play yard.
Oriene Shin, policy counsel for Consumer Reports, said, “While we welcome this recall, it’s now clear that Boppy never should have introduced these newborn loungers in the first place, and should have taken action far sooner to remove them from the marketplace. Every company that makes soft, padded infant products such as loungers should take note – and be extremely careful in how they design and market their products.”
In October 2020, Consumer Reports identified 28 infant deaths from 2012 to 2018 tied to nursing pillows and baby loungers, including some from Boppy. Earlier this month, CR published a story about public government data linking several recent infant deaths to Boppy products. Other previous CR stories have documented the ways in which federal law has hindered the CPSC’s ability to inform the public of specific product hazards and execute effective recalls.
Shin added, “This is yet another example of a company taking advantage of outdated federal product safety laws. Congress should strengthen the CPSC’s ability to warn the public about hazardous products and take quick, forceful action to hold companies accountable when people are at risk.”
To learn more about the recall of Boppy newborn loungers, read today’s CR story.
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Contact: David Butler, david.butler@consumer.org
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