Nursing pillows may be linked to infant deaths: US agency

Parents and caregivers shouldn’t let babies sleep with nursing pillows or other pillow-like products for infants, as they may be linked to infant deaths, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warned Wednesday.

The agency said it has identified deaths related to products including nursing pillows and lounging pads, which it says aren’t safe or designed to be used for sleeping infants.

“The CPSC has long been concerned with infant deaths related to consumer products such as cribs, inclined sleepers and pillows,” the commission said in a news release. “While the agency investigates deaths associated with pillow-like products, we continue to remind parents and caregivers that Bare is Best for an infant’s sleeping environment.”

The agency is analyzing data from incidents in an effort to provide more clarity on risk factors associated with the products, but has found that deaths have occurred when babies were left on or near pillows, rolled off pillows, rolled over or fell asleep.

The CPSC is investigating all products of the type and hasn’t issued a warning for specific brands.

Parents and caregivers should avoid using sleep products for babies “with inclined seat backs of more than 10 degrees,” the agency said.

It also warned that caregivers shouldn’t use car seats, bouncers or other inclined products for infant sleep.

The best sleep environment for a baby is a bare one — that means keeping blankets, pillows, bumpers and other items out of the little one’s sleeping area, the CPSC said.

Babies should always be placed on their backs on a flat, firm surface, according to the agency.

The CPSC is asking anyone who’s had an incident with pillow-like products to report it here.

“The information you provide could save lives,” the agency said.