Fisher-Price rocker warning issued after "at least" 13 babies died

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a stern new warning for a popular Fisher-Price baby product after at least 13 babies died: Never use the rockers for sleep.

Driving the news: CPSC and Fisher-Price issued an alert Tuesday for the company’s Infant-to-Toddler Rockers and Newborn-to-Toddler Rockers after "at least 13 reported deaths" occurred between 2009 and 2021.

• The announcement is being called a “safety notice” and not a recall per Mattel, Fisher-Price’s parent company.

• The rockers "should never be used for sleep and infants should never be unsupervised or unrestrained," the safety commission said.
• Fisher-Price has sold more than 17 million rockers worldwide since the 1990s.
• A separate warning was also issued Tuesday for Bright Starts and Baby Einstein rockers by the commission and company Kids2.

Flashback: In 2019, Fisher-Price recalled more than 5 million Rock ’n Play baby sleepers after 30 babies died in a 10-year period.

• Before the 2019 recall, Fisher-Price and the commission issued a warning.

What they’re saying: “Parents and caregivers should never use inclined products, such as rockers, gliders, soothers, and swings, for infant sleep and should not leave infants in these products unsupervised, unrestrained, or with bedding material, due to the risk of suffocation,” the commission said in a statement.

• U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called for a recall, saying in a tweet Tuesday that “Fisher-Price & Kids2 must immediately cooperate with the CPSC & recall these deadly rockers.”
• “Companies should not market or depict infant products such as rockers, gliders, and inclined products as a way to get babies to sleep or as sleep products, since they are not safe for infant sleep,” Dev Gowda, assistant director of Kids In Danger, said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the commission "finalized a rule requiring that infant sleep products have a sleep surface angle of 10 degrees or less" that goes into effect on June 23.

Baby rocker warning

Fisher-Price said it has videos, additional safety information and warnings for the rockers and other products on its Safe Start webpage at www.fisherprice.com/SafeStart.

• The company is encouraging consumers to report incidents at 800-432-5437.
• Incidents for this and other products can also be reported to the safety commission at SaferProducts.gov.

Safe sleep for babies best practices

The following are recommendations for safe sleep from the commission:

• The best place for an infant to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet or play yard.
• Parents and caregivers should use a fitted sheet only and never add blankets, pillows, padded crib bumpers, or other items to an infant's sleeping environment.
• Infants should always be placed to sleep on their back.
• Infants who fall asleep in an inclined or upright position should be moved to a safe sleep environment with a firm, flat surface such as a crib, bassinet or play yard.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional information.