Product Hazards – Bassinets and Cradles
Bassinets and cradles provide small sleeping spaces for the youngest babies, allowing parents to keep the sleeping baby close to them in their bedroom or elsewhere in the house. However, they should only be used for infants before they start to push up or roll over. Once a baby can move around more than a little, the products are not stable and secure. In 2011, there were an average of 20 deaths associated to bassinets and cradles. Much progress has been made since then: in 2016, zero bassinet/cradle product were recalled and it did not cause any injuries. Still, in January 2018 a bassinet was recalled due to failure to meet federal safety standards.
In 2015, a new federal safety standard was put in place for bassinets which places more emphasis on bassinet bed stability as well as mattress flatness.
The CPSC advises that a bassinet is not intended to be used beyond the age of about 5 months or when a child is able to push up on his hands and knees.
Never add padding or soft bedding to a bassinet or cradle. When using a bassinet that attaches to a play yard, always make sure the connection is secure and remove the attachment while not in use.
Recalls
A recall or a corrective action had been issued on bassinets or cradles for various reasons such as:
- Risk of serious injury or death from fall hazards
- Choking or entanglement hazards
- Entrapment or suffocation
- Risk of injury from the product tipping
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