SAN ANTONIO – The Boppy Company is recalling 3.3 million of its popular lounge pillows for infants after eight reported deaths, the company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced.
The move comes nearly one year after federal regulators warned parents about the danger of allowing babies to sleep unsupervised in pillow-like products.
The recall is for the Boppy Original and Preferred Newborn Loungers and the Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Lounger.
“Babies can easily roll over into the soft, pillow-like fabric, and this blocks their airways, and they aren’t able to move their bodies and they suffocate,” said Rachel Rabkin Peachman, who’s investigated the issue for Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports’ investigation into the class of products, including lounge pillows and nursing pillows, turned up at least 28 infant deaths across all brands, not just Boppy.
In a statement, Boppy said the company is “devastated,” and is “committed to doing everything possible to safeguard babies.” They company also said, “The lounger was not marketed as an infant sleep product and includes warnings against unsupervised use.”
Even so, because infants sleep so much and suffocation can happen so quickly, CPSC Acting Chairman Robert S. Adler said, “These Boppy lounger products are simply too risky to remain on the market.”
Those who own the recalled products can contact the Boppy Company for a refund.
The recall does not apply to Boppy’s popular u-shaped nursing pillows. However, safety advocates have concerns about potential misuse of them.
“Parents are sometimes tempted to prop babies up in pillows and leave them unsupervised where they could fall asleep,” Peachman said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics maintains that the safe way for babies to sleep is on their backs, on a firm, flat surface with no pillows or soft bedding.