Check Baby’s Sleep Space for Suffocation Hazards; Most Nursery Product-Related Infant Deaths Can Be Prevented
(This Public Service Announcement is reproduced from the CDC: https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2022/CPSC-Urges-Parents-Caregivers-to-Use-Products-that-Are-Safe-for-Sleep-Check-Babys-Sleep-Space-for-Suffocation-Hazards-Most-Nursery-Product-Related-Infant-Deaths-Can-Be-Prevented)
Release Date: September 15, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On average there are almost 100 infant deaths annually in unsafe sleep environments involving nursery products. During Baby Safety Month (September), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents and caregivers to put their babies to sleep only in products that are safe for sleep–such as bassinets, cribs and play yards. Babies who fall asleep in other locations should be moved to a crib, bassinet or play yard. The CPSC also urges caregivers to remove soft bedding suffocation hazards including blankets, pillows and stuffed toys, from baby’s sleep space because most nursery product-related infant deaths can be prevented. CPSC’s latest nursery product injury and death report shows most nursery-product infant deaths occurred in a cluttered sleep space, when soft bedding was added to the cribs, playpens/play yards or bassinets/cradles.
CPSC’s latest data show that between 2016 and 2018, an annual average of:
- 87 deaths were associated with cribs, playpens/play yards, and bassinets/cradles, most of which were associated with the presence of extra bedding, such as pillows, blankets and/or comforters; and
- 8 deaths were associated with inclined sleep products.
“What is comfortable for the way adults sleep, isn’t safe for babies,” said CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric. “Bare is best–a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet or play yard, without blankets, pillows, or other items. If you are worried about your baby getting cold, use warm pajamas–not blankets.”
To keep baby’s sleep space safe:
- Back to Sleep: Always place the baby to sleep on their back to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected infant death syndrome (SUID/SIDS) and suffocation.
- Bare is Best: Always keep the baby’s sleep space bare (fitted sheet only) to prevent suffocation. Do not use pillows, padded crib bumpers, quilts or comforters.
- Transfer the baby to a firm, flat crib, bassinet, play yard or bedside sleeper if they fall asleep in a swing, bouncer, lounger or similar product.
- Inclined products, such as rockers, gliders, soothers and swings should never be used for infant sleep, and infants should not be left in these products unsupervised, unrestrained, or with soft bedding material, due to the risk of suffocation.
As CPSC approaches its 50th anniversary, we are committed to protecting our most vulnerable population with the implementation of a new infant sleep products rule. This requires any product marketed or intended for sleep to meet one or more of the federal safety standards for cribs (full-size and non-full-size), bassinets and cradles, play yards, or bedside sleepers. If the product does not already meet one of these regulations, then it must meet the safety standard for bassinets and cradles.
RECALLS: Always check to see if any purchased baby nursery products have been recalled, which includes any secondhand products. Remember, babies rely on adults to keep them safe. Sign up today at CPSC.gov.
For more tips on baby safety, recalled baby products and to view CPSC’s newest baby safety public service announcement, visit CPSC’s Safe Sleep and Crib Safety Education Center here.
Release Number
22-216
