Boppy recalls millions of baby pillows after 8 infants die, US government says
‘The infants reportedly suffocated after being placed on their back, side or stomach on the lounger,’ says the US Consumer Product Safety Commission
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The baby products company Boppy is recalling 3.3 million of its pillows after eight infants died using them, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission says.
“There have been eight reports of infant deaths associated with the Boppy Company Newborn Lounger and this hazard,” the CPSC said in a statement on Thursday. “The infants reportedly suffocated after being placed on their back, side or stomach on the lounger and were found on their side or on their stomach.”
According to the government agency, the deaths happened over the course of five years, from December 2015 to June 2020.
“These types of incidents are heartbreaking,” said the CPSC’s acting chairman, Robert Adler. “Loungers and pillow-like products are not safe for infant sleep, due to the risk of suffocation. 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 recalled products are Boppy Original Newborn Loungers, Boppy Preferred Newborn Loungers, and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Loungers.
Babies ingest at least 10 times more microplastics than adults, study finds
8 best baby nests to settle and soothe your baby into a peaceful sleep
These are the baby names that will be popular in 2022 - including Bee, Ned and Viggo
Folic acid to be added to Britain’s bread to stop spinal conditions in babies
Customers who own the products are urged to stop using them and return them to Boppy, which is required to provide a refund.
“We are devastated to hear of these tragedies,” a spokesperson for The Boppy Company said. “Boppy is committed to doing everything possible to safeguard babies, including communicating the safe use of our products to parents and caregivers, and educating the public about the importance of following all warnings and instructions and the risks associated with unsafe sleep practices for infants. The lounger was not marketed as an infant sleep product and includes warnings against unsupervised use.”
The CPSC, meanwhile, advised parents that babies are safer sleeping without any pillows at all.
“CPSC continues to emphasize that the best place for a baby to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet, or play yard,” the Commission said. “Parents and caregivers should never add blankets, pillows, padded crib bumpers, or other items to an infant’s sleeping environment. Babies should always be placed to sleep on their backs.”
Customers seeking to return their products can call The Boppy Company at 800-416-1355, or visit www.boppy.com and click “Recall & Safety Alert”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments