Update 4/12/19: Fisher-Price has announced a voluntary recall of 4.7 million Rock ‘n Play sleepers. Click here for more information on the recall.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning to consumers about the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play sleeper following numerous reports of infant deaths associated with the product.
On Friday, April 5, 2019, the CPSC published the warning on their website, notifying consumers of the issue. According to the release, the CPSC is aware of 10 infant deaths linked to the Rock ‘n Play since 2015, with the most recent death occurring in March. The CPSC states that the deaths occurred after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained.
The Rock ‘n Play sleeper is a popular seller on Amazon, where the product is touted for being safe for overnight sleep and “a lifesaver for new parents.”
Fisher-Price is advising consumers to discontinue use of the Rock ‘n Play once infants are 3 months old, or once they gain the ability to roll over on their own.
“The reported deaths show that some consumers are still using the product when infants are capable of rolling and without using the three-point harness restraint,” the company said in the CPSC statement.
While no official recall on the Rock ‘n Play has been issued as of yet, Patty Davis, a spokeswoman for the CPSC, did not rule out a recall of the product as they continue to investigate.
“If it turns out that it needs to be recalled, we will move forward with that,” Davis told CNN.
However, several consumer advocacy groups, including Consumer Reports, are calling for an immediate recall. Consumer Reports also disputes the number of fatalities, claiming that Fisher-Price allegedly confirmed that the company is aware of 32 deaths since the Rock ‘n Play sleeper was introduced in 2009. Consumer Reports acknowledges that certain cases in their data had contributing circumstances, such as illness or additional bedding added to the Rock ‘n Play.
Consumer Reports goes on to cite expert medical advice that babies should sleep on firm, flat surfaces, and advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) stating that it does not recommend sleep products that restrain and rock infants.
“We don’t recommend that babies are placed to sleep with their heads elevated because that is a position that would be subject to accidental suffocation [and] strangulation in bed,” said Lori Feldman-Winter of the AAP.
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