Crib Bumpers Recalled Due to Dangers of Suffocation

(USNewsBreak.com) – Babies face many dangers in their first few weeks and months of life. Healthcare teams provide parents with a list of things to avoid when they return home with an infant, such as placing anything in the crib. One manufacturer recently recalled a product because it may increase the risk of suffocation.

Most cribs use a universal design featuring open slats. Some parents have ordered crib bumpers from AliExpress to decorate the furniture and add a safety element. They look like pillows and tie to the slats, and they serve to keep a baby’s limbs or head from catching between the slats. Yet, they also pose a suffocation hazard because infants typically lack the strength to pull away from the sides of the crib.

Baby product recall sparks nationwide "suffocation" warning https://t.co/J4x3q6t2N5 pic.twitter.com/QTUyPGDsJY

— Newsweek Life (@Newsweek_Life) June 1, 2024

In 2022, the Safe Sleep for Babies Act banned most crib bumpers under federal law. Now, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is recalling approximately 75 of them sold by AliExpress to customers in the United States. Two companies, Xinxiang Junshun Trading Co., Ltd and Henan Ouchang Trading Co., Ltd., sold the crib bumpers from October 2023 to February 2024. They cost between $26 and $174.

The notice asked consumers to “immediately stop using” the bumpers and contact the seller for a full refund. Fortunately, nobody has reported injuries from using these products.

In a release to Newsweek, an AliExpress spokesperson said the company had “removed the crib bumper listings from the platform” and noted that the listings violated AliExpress’ policies. The company acknowledged that while it is merely a platform and doesn’t offer the products directly for sale, it would comply with the CPSC request to remove the listings and bear the burden of refunds.

The CPSC is responsible for protecting the American public “from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death” that could occur with the use of several types of products.