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By Dina DiMaggio, MD, FAAP, healthychildren.org
Having a baby is an incredibly exciting time! Many parents set up baby registries for items that they believe their baby will need. However, it’s important to know that some popular products are unnecessary and can actually be dangerous for infants. Examples include inclined sleepers, positioners, and crib bumpers.
Each year, about 3,400 infants in the United States die unexpectedly during sleep. This can happen from accidental suffocation, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or unknown causes.
To help prevent these deaths, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants should sleep on flat and firm surfaces. Babies should sleep by themselves, without any bumpers, soft bedding, pillows or stuffed toys. Crib bumpers and inclined infant sleeper products can cause a baby to suffocate. We also advise against using products that are for infant bed-sharing with parents.
Here’s why inclined sleepers, crib bumpers and other dangerous infant sleep products should stay off your registry and out of your home.
Inclined baby sleepers and positioners
These are sometimes called baby nests, docks, pods, loungers, rockers or nappers. Infant positioners and inclined sleepers have been popular items on baby registry lists for years.
The CPSC says that sleep products that incline more than 10 degrees are not safe. Soft and plush sleep surfaces are also dangerous. Inclined sleepers allow babies to sleep at a 30-degree angle. Infants placed in these products may fall asleep in a chin-to-chest position, which can restrict their airway. They can also roll out of the devices and become trapped under them. Inclined sleepers have been tied to at least 94 deaths.
With sleep positioners, babies can suffocate after rolling onto their stomachs since they can’t lift their heads. The soft padding can make it difficult to breathe if a baby’s face presses against it.
Crib bumpers
Crib bumpers were long considered staples of nursery décor. They were originally intended to cushion babies from the crib slats. Crib bumpers are dangerous because of the risk of suffocation, entrapment, and strangulation. Plus, older babies may use the bumpers to stand on and climb out of the crib, creating a fall risk. Crib bumpers have been linked to more than 100 infant deaths during the past 30 years.
In addition to traditional padded bumpers, stores now sell mesh bumpers and vertical crib liners. But even these can get loose and become a strangulation risk. Babies can also get trapped between them and the crib mattress.
There is no evidence that crib bumpers—of any kind—prevent injury in young infants.
Cribs today are regulated by the CPSC and have updated safety standards. The slats are closer together to prevent your baby’s head from getting stuck. This means that bumpers are not only dangerous, but unnecessary. Maybe you’re concerned about your child’s leg getting stuck between crib slats. If so, use a wearable blanket or sleeping sack that’s the right size for your baby.
New federal safety standards on the way
A safe sleep environment is so important that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved a federal safety standard for infant sleep products in 2021. By mid-2022, this standard will help get rid of potentially dangerous baby sleep products such as inclined sleepers, in-bed sleepers, loungers, and travel/compact sleepers. These products will have to meet the same CPSC standards that are already in place for cribs, bassinets, play yards and bedside sleepers.
In addition, the Safe Cribs Act was signed into law in May 2022. This legislation will make it illegal to sell, distribute, manufacture or import crib bumpers and inclined sleep products.
Why are these unsafe infant products still sold?
Unfortunately, the new CPSC regulations don’t take effect until mid-2022, and infant product suppliers have until later this year to comply with the Safe Cribs Act. This means that inclined sleepers and positioners may still be available.
Some stores, online retailers, cities, and states, have already stopped selling or have banned inclined sleepers and crib bumpers. Some companies have also issued voluntary recalls of these products.
Even in areas where these dangerous products are banned, they can still turn up at secondhand stores or garage sales. It’s important to check the CPSC website to see if products have been recalled before using them. To stay updated on the latest recalls, you can even sign up for CPSC email alerts. Also, make sure anyone who watches your child knows about recalled and unsafe products.
Remember
It’s also important to keep in mind that your baby should only sleep in products that are designed to be safe sleep spaces, like cribs, bassinets and portable play yards. Other products like swings, reclined seats, bouncers, and other sitting or positioning devices are not safe for sleep. If your baby falls asleep in one of these, move him or her to a safe sleep space right away.
If you have any questions about safe sleep products for your baby, talk with the Kids First Pediatrics team! Raleigh: 919-250-3478, Clayton: 919-267-1499.
*This article is informational but is not a substitute for medical attention or information from your provider.
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