This baby brand recalls 3.3 million loungers
Founded in 1989 with its main headquarters in Colorado, USA, the Boppy Company has been manufacturing baby loungers that have been of great help to both mom and baby. Unfortunately, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has released a statement on their website that eight reported infant deaths have been associated with the Boppy Company Newborn Lounger.
According to the site, the babies have been reported to suffocate from being placed on their back, side, or stomach on the lounger. They were found dead on their side or on their stomach. These deaths happened between December 2015 and June 2020.
“These types of incidents are heartbreaking,” Acting Chairman Robert S. Adler starts. “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.”
Boppy Newborn Loungers measures approximately 23 inches long by 22 inches and 7 inches high. About 3.3 million were sold at Pottery Barn Kids, Targe, Waltermart, and Amazon.com; and were sold from January 2004 until September 2021. Priced between USD30 and USD44, this product was also distributed in Canada with an estimated quantity of 35,000.
The site also reminded consumers to stop the use of these loungers immediately. “We are devastated to hear of these tragedies. 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," says a spokesperson from The Boppy Company.
The baby brand also posted on their website on how to file for a refund on the following products: Boppy Original Newborn Loungers, Boppy Preferred Newborn Loungers, and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Loungers. The company explains, "Infants can 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 that obstructs breathing."
CPSC reminds consumers that "the best place for a baby to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet, or play yard. 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."
More details on how to file for a refund is on this site.