The Latest Infant Incline Sleeper Recalls Parents Need to Know About
Kolcraft recalled infant sleeper accessories included with the Cuddle ‘n Care 2-in-1 and Preferred Position 2-in-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleepers. The recalled part of the products (the inclined sleeper) may cause infant death through suffocation.
According to a notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), "Infant fatalities have been reported with other manufacturers’ inclined sleep products, after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side, or under other circumstances."
The recalled products were sold at baby stores and national retailers from March 2011 through December 2017. The Cuddle ‘n Care 2-in-1 has a model number starting with KB063, while the Preferred Position 2-in-1 has a model number starting with KB061.
Several other infant sleepers have recently been recalled for the same reason—including more than 165,000 products from Summer Infant, Evenflo, Delta Enterprises Corp, and Graco. The affected products were sold at mass retailers such as Amazon, Target, Kohl’s, Kmart, Walmart, and Buy Buy Baby, and they included:
Summer Infant's SwaddleMe By Your Bed Sleeper (Model #91394)
Evenflo Pillo Portable Napper (Model #12132125)
Delta Enterprise Corp. Deluxe Incline Sleeper (Models #27404-2255, #27404-437, #27404-758, and #27404-942)
Graco Little Lounger Rocking Seat (All Models: #1872034, #1875063, #1875102, #1877160, #1882081, #1896313, #1908957, #1914283, #1922809 and #2047734)
All of the companies— Kolcraft, Summer Infant, Evenflo, Delta Enterprises Corp, and Graco—have reported no injuries or deaths so far.
If you own any of these infant sleepers, stop using it immediately, says the CPSC. Contact the product's manufacturer for refund information. You can also click the links below for details.
Refund information for Kolocraft sleepers.
Refund information for Summer Infant's SwaddleMe
Refund information for Evenflo Pillo Portable Napper
Refund information for Delta Enterprise Corp. Deluxe Incline Sleeper
Refund information for Graco Little Lounger Rocking Seat
jin chu ferrer/Getty Imahes jin chu ferrer/Getty Imahes
Infant Sleepers and SIDS Risk
Although no babies were harmed by the newly recalled products, similar items have caused infant death and injury in the past. Take Fisher-Price's Rock 'n Play Sleepers, which were recalled by Fisher-Price and the CPSC in April 2019. A Consumer Reports article stated that at least 32 babies died while in the Rock ’n Play—most from rolling over while using the product. Other babies might have lost airflow because their heads fell forward or sideways.
Fisher-Price's Rock 'n Play Sleepers—and other recalled infant sleepers— have been linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which causes babies to die suddenly and unexpectedly during sleep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), SIDS kills approximately 3,500 infants each year.
The cause of SIDS isn’t completely understood, according to Steven A. Shapiro, D.O., chair of the Pediatrics Department at Abington–Jefferson Health. But experts have pinpointed risk factors that could increase the likelihood of SIDS, including stomach-sleeping and side-sleeping. Infants could possibly inhale oxygen-depleted air in these positions—and since babies don’t have the strength or awareness to move around, they could suffocate.
Parents can take precautions to prevent SIDS in their babies. For starters, don’t use recalled products like the Summer Infant's SwaddleMe, Evenflo Pillo Portable Napper, Delta Enterprise Corp. Deluxe Incline Sleeper, Graco Little Lounger Rocking Seat, or infant sleepers included with Kolcraft Cuddle ‘n Care 2-in-1 and Preferred Position 2-in-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleepers. Similar products should be avoided as well. The curved seat may prompt infants to roll over, and the padded back further restricts airflow.
Dr. Shapiro emphasizes that babies should always sleep on their backs on a firm, flat surface (such as a crib mattress). Only place a tight-sheeting fit in the crib with Baby; don’t use blankets, stuffed animals, or other sleep accessories until he turns one year old. Instead, keep him warm with a sleep sack. Always be careful with co-sleeping, and maintain a proper temperature in the nursery.
