Crib Bumpers and Infant Inclined Sleepers Will Now Be Banned in USA

TESTCOO/October 18, 2023

On 16 May 2022, U.S. President Biden signed into law the Safe Sleep for Babies Act (H.R. 3182)1, banning two dangerous infant sleep products - crib bumpers and inclined sleepers, which are unsafe for infants' sleep and have been linked with reported deaths.

These dangerous products pose a risk to infants who can roll over onto the padded surfaces and suffocate. Inclined sleepers and crib bumper pads have been linked with more than 200 infant deaths, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Parents that already have crib bumpers or inclined sleepers should get rid of them now, according to pediatricians and child safety groups. Families should also avoid acquiring these unsafe items secondhand.a

Ban of Crib Bumpers

Definitions of crib bumper: any material that is intended to cover the sides of a crib to prevent injury to any crib occupant from impacts against the side of a crib or to prevent partial or complete access to any openings in the sides of a crib to prevent a crib occupant from getting any part of the body entrapped in any opening.

* Includes a padded crib bumper, a supported and unsupported vinyl bumper guard, and vertical crib slat covers; Does not include a non-padded mesh crib liner.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing this final rule to codify the ban of crib bumpers pursuant to the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021, which requires that crib bumpers, regardless of the date of manufacture, shall be considered a banned hazardous product under the Consumer Product Safety Act. This rule is effective on September 13, 2023.

Ban of Inclined Sleepers for Infants

Inclined sleeper for infants means a product with an inclined sleep surface greater than ten degrees that is intended, marketed, or designed to provide sleeping accommodations for an infant up to 1 year old.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing this final rule to codify in its regulations the ban of inclined sleepers for infants pursuant to the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021, which requires that inclined sleepers for infants, regardless of the date of manufacture, shall be considered a banned hazardous product under the Consumer Product Safety Act.

This rule is effective on September 15, 2023. The purpose of this rule is to prohibit the sale, offer for sale, manufacture for sale, distribution in commerce, or importation into the United States, of any inclined sleepers for infants.

“No family should ever experience this tragedy.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) called the new law “a monumental victory for children’s health.” AAP has warned against dangerous and unsafe crib bumpers and inclined sleepers for decades:

“The message from pediatricians has long been clear: the safest sleep environment for babies is a firm, flat, bare surface. Despite what the science shows, crib bumpers and inclined sleepers have remained on the market and store shelves, misleading parents into thinking they are safe and leading to dozens of preventable infant deaths. No family should ever experience this tragedy.”