In a victory for child safety and families nationwide, over the last eight months, Amazon has removed over 150 illegal sellers of play yard mattresses from sale. The mattresses were thicker than the 1.5 inches allowed under the standard.
In 2022, the CPSC approved a new safety standard for crib mattresses, as well as after-market mattresses used in play yards and cribs. The CPSC is aware of at least 494 incidents between 2010 and 2021 related to crib mattresses, including 139 deaths and 355 nonfatal incidents related to crib mattresses.
The new safety requirements address hazards including excessively soft mattresses and lacerations from coil springs. The standard also requires that any mattress sold for use in a play yard meet the same requirements as the original mattress, so that babies do not suffocate in a gap between the mattress and the sides of the play yard.
Joyce Davis of Keeping Babies Safe brought this issue to Amazon’s attention to encourage the company to remove these dangerous mattresses from sale. Joyce has worked tirelessly since her son Garret died to ban the sale of unsafe play yard mattresses. In 2015, Keeping Babies Safe filed a petition with the CPSC to ban unsafe mattresses like the one that killed her son in 2000. That petition resulted in the ban of certain thicker after-market play yard mattresses. However, some of these unlawful mattresses remain available for purchase on e-commerce websites like Amazon.
Regarding Amazon’s decision, Joyce said, “We are thrilled that Amazon has taken action to remove unsafe play yard mattresses from their platform. The mattresses have already been banned by the CPSC, but it is critical that retailers – both brick and mortar and e-commerce platforms – take action to implement new safety standards.”
Over the past month, the CPSC recalled three play yard mattresses that violate the federal rule:
- Moonsea Pack and Play Mattresses
- Vibe Bear Playyard Mattresses (pictured above)
- DODO Baby House Pack and Play Mattresses
Check if your mattress has been recalled at SaferProducts.gov. Parents and caregivers should follow the ABCs of safe sleep: 1) Baby is Alone and has their own separate sleep space; 2) Baby is placed to sleep on their Back; and 3) Baby sleeps in a Crib, play yard or bassinet that meets the federal safety standard. The sleep surface should be firm to the touch, flat and not inclined. Other products such as crib bumper pads, pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, or toys should not be in the sleep environment.
For more information about safe sleep, view KID’s safe sleep video.
