A popular baby lounger sold by The Boppy Company is being recalled after reports of eight infant deaths associated with the product in recent years, federal regulators announced Thursday.<\/b>
\nA popular baby lounger sold by The Boppy Company is being recalled after reports of eight infant deaths associated with the product in recent years, federal regulators announced Thursday. The infants reportedly suffocated after being placed on their back, side or stomach on one of three pillow-like products sold as Boppy Original Newborn Loungers, Boppy Preferred Newborn Loungers and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Loungers. The victims were all found on their side or on their stomach, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The deaths were reported between December 2015 and June 2020. \u201cThese types of incidents are heartbreaking,\u201d CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler said in a statement. \u201cLoungers and pillow-like products are not safe for infant sleep, due to the risk of suffocation. Since we know that infants sleep so much of the time \u2014 even in products not intended for sleep \u2014 and since suffocation can happen so quickly, these Boppy lounger products are simply too risky to remain on the market.\u201d All 3.3 million loungers sold across the country from January 2004 to September 2021 are part of the massive recall. The items came in a variety of colors and were sold at Pottery Barn Kids, Target, Walmart, Amazon and other stores and websites. About 35,000 of them were sold in Canada, according to the commission. The recall comes just weeks after a Consumer Reports analysis found that improper use of Boppy nursing pillows and infant loungers have led to at least seven deaths in the past year. Those deaths were reported after CPSC issued a warning to caregivers last October about the risk of letting babies sleep on pillow-like products. Children left unattended on those loungers can roll over or their heads could fall in a way that blocks their airway, the agency has warned. Boppy stressed in a statement Thursday that its lounger was \u201cnot marketed as an infant sleep product and includes warnings against unsupervised use.\u201d \u201cWe are devastated to hear of these tragedies,\u201d the Colorado-based company said. \u201cBoppy 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.\u201d The best place for a baby to sleep is on a \u201cfirm, flat surface\u201d in a crib, play yard or bassinet, federal officials said.<\/p>\n