The Boppy Company, a long-time favorite of ours and other parents for baby products, is recalling close to 3 million baby pillows after eight infant deaths, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced Thursday.
The Colorado-based company recalled three loungers—its Boppy Original Newborn Loungers, Boppy Preferred Newborn Loungers, and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Loungers—upon reports of suffocation. The fatalities, which occurred between December 2015 and June 2020, happened after the babies were placed on their back, side, or stomach on the lounger but were then found on their side or stomach.
Boppy and the CPSC, a federal agency that oversees thousands of home goods, are urging parents to stop immediate use of the pillows, as the loungers and any pillow-like product are not intended, nor safe, for infant sleep.
The statement further warned caregivers of the potential for their baby to “suffocate if they roll, move, or are placed on the lounger in a position that obstructs breathing, or roll off the lounger onto an external surface, such as an adult pillow or soft bedding.”
“These types of incidents are heartbreaking,” said CPSC acting chairman Robert S. Adler in a statement. “Since we know that infants sleep so much of the time – even in products not intended for sleep – and since suffocation can happen so quickly, these Boppy lounger products are simply too risky to remain on the market.”
The recall does not apply to Boppy’s U-shaped nursing pillows, one of the company’s most popular products that helps support a baby’s head and body while feeding. However, parents should be vigilant of their baby’s breathing and ensure they do not fall asleep in it.
Since 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics has informed parents that the proper and safest sleeping position for babies is on their backs on a firm, flat surface. Parents should always refrain from adding bedding, pillows, crib bumper pads, and other items that can block their baby’s airway.
The loungers, which measure about 23 inches long by 22 inches wide and 7 inches high, were priced at $30 to $44. They were sold from January 2004 through September 2021 across popular children’s retail stores and mass merchandisers within the U.S. and online, including Pottery Barn, Target, Walmart, and Amazon.com. Another 35,000 was also distributed in Canada.
Parents who purchased any of the three recalled Boppy lounger pillows have been advised to contact Boppy for a full refund at 800-416-1355 or online at boppy.com by clicking “Recall & Safety Alert” at the top of the site.
For more information about safe sleep, read here.
