In response to a disturbing series of incidents resulting in infant fatalities, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has taken significant steps to introduce the first-ever federal safety regulations for infant rockers. On Wednesday, the CPSC voted unanimously to advance a proposal developed by its staff, a month after unveiling the recommendations. This action follows the disheartening revelation that these popular baby products were associated with the deaths of nearly a dozen infants from 2011 to 2022, with most of these tragic incidents occurring while babies were asleep in the rockers.
According to the CPSC, these reclined-seat products were also linked to 88 injuries over the same 12-year period. In a majority of these cases, infants suffered head injuries due to the rockers tipping over.
The newly proposed regulations are aimed at mitigating the risks of suffocation, strangulation, and tip-overs associated with infant rockers. They entail stricter requirements for rockers, including a firmer and flatter design to prevent suffocation, as well as the implementation of stability and other safety tests. These products would also be mandated to feature prominent warning labels, advising caregivers against allowing babies to sleep in them and discouraging the use of soft bedding around infants in the rockers.
CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric expressed his belief that these rules could significantly enhance the safety of infant rockers during the vote, marking a crucial milestone in addressing these safety concerns.
It is important to note that these proposed regulations will need to undergo a thorough process of public comment and review before finalization.
At the time of reporting, major infant rocker manufacturers Fisher-Price, Kids2, and Béaba had not issued official statements in response to these developments. Last year, Fisher-Price defended its rockers in a letter to Congress, claiming that they were safe when properly monitored by parents and when infants were appropriately restrained.
Another manufacturer, 4moms, expressed support for the establishment of a federal safety standard and indicated its readiness to provide feedback on the proposed rule. It is worth mentioning that 4moms had recalled an infant rocker last year due to a potential strangulation hazard, though no incidents had been directly linked to the product.
Infant rockers are designed to soothe babies with swaying motions, often facilitated manually or automatically. Some even include additional features such as vibration.
Prior to the vote, CPSC Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. proposed an amendment to the plan that would have restricted the use of rockers for infants under six months of age and prohibited the inclusion of soothing features like vibrations or calming sounds, which might encourage babies to fall asleep. However, this proposal was rejected by the other three commissioners, who expressed concerns that amending the proposal formally would cause delays in implementing these vital safety rules. Instead, the CPSC decided to request public comments on the safety concerns raised by Trumka.
Cathy Greninger, who tragically lost her 4-month-old granddaughter Savannah Savage in a Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker in 2019, welcomed the CPSC’s action. She stressed that these safety standards should have been implemented years ago, underscoring the significance of these developments.
Savannah passed away in Amarillo, Texas, after spending the night in the rocker, against the manufacturer’s guidelines. A 2017 version of Fisher-Price’s instruction manual explicitly mentioned that the rocker was not intended for unsupervised or prolonged periods of sleep. A local justice of the peace determined that Savannah died from probable positional asphyxia, a condition that can occur when infants are positioned in a way that restricts their airflow.
