More than 30,000 Nap Nanny recliners, a popular newborn and infant sleep aid product manufactured by Baby Matters, have been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission following the death of a 4-month-old girl in Michigan earlier this month. The $130 product, introduced in 2009, gained the attention of parents eager to find a safe sleep solution for babies who sleep better when elevated at an angle.
Reports of Nap Nanny Injuries in 2009 and 2010
The Nap Nanny, a piece of shaped foam that resembles a contoured car seat, is designed to prop the infant at a 30 degree angle, the optimal angle for infants with reflux and colic. Marketed as a device that could help infants to nap and sleep better, the Nap Nanny quickly gained popularity. All Nap Nanny recliners come with explicit instructions never to use on elevated surfaces, in cribs, portable play pens, or against walls. The primary concern is infant movement and wriggling that could make head-heavy babies slip over the side, pinning the head between the Nap Nanny and a crib side, playpen wall, or regular wall.
Since 2009 the CPSC has collected 22 reports of such injuries, with most reports including infants under the age of 5 months. The Nap Nanny recliner recall issued on July 26, 2010 was promoted by the death of a 4-month-old girl in Royal Oak, Michigan. According to the CPSC, the infant girl was found with her head trapped between a crib bumper and the Nap Nanny, her body still strapped into the harness. Many of the infants injured in the Nap Nanny recliner were found in similar positions, though the Royal Oak, Michigan girl is the first death associated with the baby seat.
Consumer Product Safety Commission Recall of Nap Nanny
The CPSC warns parents and caregivers that the two main risks with the Nap Nanny seat are infant movement that dislodges the baby from the seat and placing the seat in a confined area where the infant may be come pinned between the Nap Nanny recliner and an immovable surface. The CPSC recall urges parents to return the device but, if parents choose to keep the product, to use the device on the floor, away from obstructions, and always while the infant is under direct supervision of a capable adult.
The Nap Nanny recall notes that "entrapment, suffocation, and fall hazards" are the primary concerns for the CPSC.
Baby Matters Nap Nanny Recall Phone Number and Website
Owners of Nap Nanny recliners can call Baby Matters at 800-240-4282 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST for more information on the recall, or go to the Nap Nanny Recall website for specific details. Parents and caregivers should check news outlets, consumer websites, and other sources of information for constant updates on baby products and safety issues to research the latest findings and promotions related to the industry.
Resources:
Consumer Product Safety Commission, "Baby Matters Recalls Nap Nanny Recliners Due to Entrapment, Suffocation, and Fall Hazards; One Infant Death Reported," July 26, 2010.
Melanie Zoltan - Melanie Zoltan is a former college professor and administrator who has written for About.com, PCWorld, Brain Child, Thomson Gale, and ...
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