Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers not to use infant rockers for sleep due to suffocation risk, after several deaths were reported in Fisher-Price and Kids2 infant rockers.
At least 13 infants died between 2009 and 2021 in Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rockers and Newborn-to-Toddler Rockers, and at least one infant died in a Kids2 Bright Starts Rocker in 2009.
Fisher-Price has sold more than 17 million rockers worldwide since the 1990s and Kids2 has sold more than 1.8 million rockers since 2012. The CPSC urges parents and caregivers to never use inclined products, such as rockers, gliders, soothers, and swings, for infant sleep and should not leave infants in these products unsupervised, unrestrained, or with bedding material, due to the risk of suffocation.
Babies sleep safest on their back, and on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet or play yard that meets a federal standard, with only a fitted sheet. Other products such as crib bumper pads, pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, or toys should not be in the sleep environment.
“The CPSC, Fisher-Price, and Kids2 are issuing an incredibly important warning to parents and caregivers today based on known deaths: do not use inclined products, rockers, gliders, soothers and swings for infant sleep; and do not leave babies in these products unsupervised,” stated Rachel Weintraub, legislative director and general counsel with Consumer Federation of America. “The CPSC should thoroughly investigate the deaths and injuries associated with these products and the manufacturers should do everything they can to effectively warn parents and caregivers of these hazards and prevent future incidents.”
“Companies should not market or depict infant products such as rockers, gliders, and inclined products as a way to get babies to sleep or as sleep products, since they are not safe for infant sleep,” said Dev Gowda, assistant director of Kids In Danger. “KID encourages parents and caregivers to only use inclined products for awake time and while supervised.”
Parents and caregivers should report incidents related to inclined products and other children’s products to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov.
Contact: Rachel Weintraub, CFA, 202-904-4953