Parents of babies understandably desire to provide their child with a full array of “creature comforts,” from bassinets to automated baby swings, jumpers, exersaucers, and more, designed to cover every activity, from play to sleep. Parents place a great deal of trust in the manufacturers of their child’s products, as an unsafe product can pose a risk of serious injury or death. Federal agencies, such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission, work diligently to identify hazardous products, but do not always spot all dangerous products. When your child has encountered harm as a result of an unsafe product, you should contact a knowledgeable Oregon child injury lawyer about the appropriate next steps.
In the last two months, the CPSC has issued numerous recalls for various “baby lounger” products. Many of these products are sold on sites like Amazon and Shein and originate in China. The loungers have design issues that make for “an unsafe sleeping environment for infants,” which creates a risk of serious injury or even death.
One of the most recent recalls involves the “Belivium Baby Lounger,” a Chinese-made product sold on Amazon for between $25 and $50. In its recall notice, which the CPSC issued roughly two weeks ago, the agency cited numerous shortcomings that made the products unsafe for use. These flaws relate back to the CPSC’s mandatory standards for infant sleep products, which the agency has published in the Code of Federal Regulations.
In the case of the Belivium Baby Lounger, the product’s sides “are shorter than the minimum side height limit” needed to keep a baby secure. This creates the possibility that the lounger could fail to secure a baby who tries to roll over. Additionally, the lounger has a sleeping pad whose “thickness exceeds the maximum limit,” thereby creating a risk of suffocation in the thick, pillowy pad. Furthermore, “the enclosed openings at the foot of the loungers are wider than allowed, posing fall and entrapment hazards.”
Other Problematic Products
The Belivium Baby Lounger is not the only one with these kinds of shortcomings. During the first half of October, the CPSC issued a recall for a baby lounger sold on Shein by YGJT. Similar to the Belivium Baby Lounger, the lounger by YGJT had sides whose height was below the CPSC minimum, which raises the risk that the product may not keep an infant secure if the baby rolls. It also had openings at the foot that were too large, similar to the Belivium product.
Last month, the CPSC identified another baby lounger on Amazon with problems. The LXDHSTRA Baby Lounger, like the Belivium product, was made with sides that were too low, a sleeping pad that was too thick, and openings at the foot that were too wide. In addition to those flaws, the LXDHSTRA Baby Lounger was sold with crib bumpers, which were banned by the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021. That act identified padded crib bumpers as posing a serious potential to obstruct a baby’s breathing, leading to suffocation.
When it comes to safe sleep, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that caregivers:
- Place infants on their backs for sleep in their own sleep space with no other people.
- Use a crib, bassinet, or portable play yard with a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet. Avoid sleep on a couch or armchair or in a seating device, like a swing or car safety seat (except while riding in the car).
- Keep loose blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, bumpers, and other soft items out of the sleep space.
Too often, children are hurt or killed because a corporation decided to put an unsafe product on the market. Whether a caregiver is purchasing a car seat, a swing, a crib, a play yard, or any product for their child, they are doing so with the belief that the item they have purchased is safe for its intended use. When a product is not safe and an injury results, those responsible should be held accountable through a product liability lawsuit or other civil action. The skilled Oregon child injury attorneys at Kaplan Law LLC have handled a wide array of child injury and product liability cases, so we possess the knowledge and experience to help you pursue justice. To learn more about our services, call (503) 226-3844 today or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.