A massive Boppy recall of over 3.3 million baby loungers is underway after various models of the baby product have been linked to the death of eight infants.
In a statement, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has ordered the recall of the Boppy Preferred Newborn Lounger, the Boppy Original Newborn Lounger, and the Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Lounger. The CPSC said they received reports of infants suffocating after "being placed on their back, side or stomach" on the Boppy loungers. The incidents of deaths took place between December 2015 and June 2020.
Families who have the Boppy loungers are encouraged not to use the products and ask for a refund. The company has also issued their voluntary recall and has detailed how parents may ask for their money back.
It's Not a Sleep Product
A spokesperson for the company expressed devastation for the infant deaths and emphasized that the Boppy loungers were never marketed as a sleep product for babies. The company also said that there is a product warning about the pillows' unsupervised use.
Since the reports, Boppy has established a Boppy Pledge, which aimed at educating parents and caregivers about the risks of leaving babies and letting them sleep on the lounger. The company said that it committed and ensured that families using their products would be safe by communicating the importance of adhering to the instructions on properly using their products.
The CPSC said that loungers bought from January 2004 to September 2021, including at online stores like Amazon or Pottery Barn and large retail stores like Walmart and Target, are covered in the Boppy recall. CPSC Chairman Robert S. Adler said that suffocation on this product "happens quickly"; thus, these lounger models will no longer be sold in the market.
Boppy comes from The Golden, a company based in Colorado, started by a young mom who needed a product for nursing and bonding with her newborn. Priced between $30 to $44, depending on the model, Boppy pillows became popular and generated a lot of copycats.
New Rules for Sleep Products
By mid-2022, CPSC will establish a new safety standard for infant sleep products to eliminate the hazards and risks in babies effectively. Testing will be required to determine that the sleep products are at a suitable angle of at least 10 degrees from the surface.
Meanwhile, the CPSC has also reminded parents to apply safety guidelines to guarantee a safe sleep environment for their young children. They must set their babies down to sleep on a firm surface that doesn't have loose or soft objects. The baby's sleep space must also be rid of all bedding, except for a secured and tight bedsheet.
Sharing a room with the baby, but not a bed, is also recommended for their first year of life. If the parents think that the products they currently use do not meet the standard requirements, despite no recalled issues, they should decide on the side of caution and ditch the item. The American Academy of Pediatrics has a Safe Sleep website for more information and best tips. They may also discuss their concerns with their pediatrician.
