Inclined Sleepers Linked to 100 Infant Deaths Recalled Again

Fisher-Price recalls Rock 'n Play Sleepers due to reports of deaths of about 100 babies. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Nearly 4.7 million units of Fisher-Price’s Rock ‘n Play sleepers, already under a product recall issued more than 3 years ago, are being recalled again following reports of at least eight infant deaths.

The product, launched in 2009, had been sold in major stores across the United States, including Walmart, Target, and online at Amazon until the recall in 2019.

At the time the original recall was announced, over 30 fatalities were reported to have occurred in the Rock ‘n Play Sleepers after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained, or under other circumstances, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

A total of about 100 infant fatalities have reportedly occurred while using the sleepers, the CPSC said on Monday.

Those who have the Rock ‘n Play should immediately stop using them and contact Fisher-Price for a refund or voucher, the agency said, warning that it is illegal to sell or distribute the recalled sleepers.

Monday’s announcement comes as Fisher-Price and its parent company, Mattel, the world’s second largest toy maker, known for Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels model cars, are under scrutiny over their handling of the sleeper recall.

In March 2022, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) sent a letter (pdf) to Fisher-Price, saying that the recall process is moving too slowly and that it’s worrying.

“Fisher-Price and Mattel reported to the CPSC that fewer than eight percent of Rock ‘n Plays had been accounted for at the end of 2020—only 395,239 of the 4.84 million units that were recalled starting in 2019,” the Democrats wrote, citing figures obtained by online magazine Consumer Reports.

“While consumer interest in recalls is expected to dip in the months following the recall, this recall performance is abysmal and unacceptable.”

Popular among some new parents, inclined sleepers are designed to make babies who have acid reflux feel more comfortable. The idea is that a 30-degree incline would ease acid reflux and make it easier for the child to fall asleep.

Recent years have seen inclined sleepers being the subject of numerous recalls, according to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which monitors recalls involving baby products. Warning against using the popular item, the AAP says that babies in inclined sleepers may fall asleep in a position that can restrict their airway or can roll out and suffocate.

“The AAP recommends infants sleep on their backs on a flat, firm surface with no soft bedding or loose objects,” the professional organization said. “In addition, infants should share a room with their caregiver without sharing a bed.”