The Boppy Company has issued a recall of around 3.3 million "newborn loungers" after eight infants were found to have died after being placed on the ring-shaped, pillow-like products, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced on Sept. 23.
In a news release, the federal agency wrote that between 2015 and 2020, eight infants had reportedly suffocated after being placed on one of three varieties of the product: the Original Newborn Lounger, Preferred Newborn Lounger, and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Lounger.
Boppy had marketed the loungers — which were typically 23 inches long, 22 inches wide, and 7 inches tall — as a way to allow young infants to recline and interact with their environment and family members, while allowing parents to monitor their babies as they engage in other tasks:
A spokesperson for the Golden, Colorado, company, which sells a variety of infant pillows and accessories, said:
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.
According to the CPSC, Boppy sold around 3.3 million newborn loungers in the United States, and around 35,000 in Canada, between 2004 and September 2021. All are now subject to the recall, and anyone in possession of one is urged to immediately stop using it. Consumers can apply for a refund on Boppy's website.
The agency added:
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. 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.