Across the United States, major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target have made the decision to remove weighted sleepwear products from their shelves due to safety concerns. These products, which include infant blankets, swaddles, and sleep sacks, have been linked to dangerous reductions in oxygen saturation levels in infants, raising worries about potential harm to infants’ developing brains and even causing death. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported multiple infant deaths associated with these weighted products.
Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all expressed concerns about the safety of these products. In a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the American Academy of Pediatrics outlined worries over a lack of a safety standard for weighted infant sleep products. Dr. Ben Hoffman, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, commended the retailers for taking the first step in removing these items from their inventory.
Amidst allegations of deceptive marketing practices, Senator Richard Blumenthal has called for an investigation into two leading manufacturers of weighted sleepwear, Dreamland Baby and Nested Bean. These companies have defended their products, stating that they are safe and effective in promoting restful sleep for infants. However, critics argue that without stringent safety standards, it is difficult to determine the safety of these products.
Notably, scientific research on the safety of weighted infant sleepwear remains limited. While some studies have shown no adverse events associated with these products, concerns have been raised about potential risks, such as slowed heart rates and shorter sleep sessions. Both Dreamland Baby and Nested Bean are collaborating with researchers to assess the safety of their products.
In response to growing concerns, major retailers like Nordstrom and Babylist have also discontinued the sale of weighted sleepwear products. This collaborative effort aims to prioritize infant safety and prevent any further tragedies associated with these products. The decision to remove these items from their shelves has been praised as a significant step towards ensuring the well-being of infants nationwide. The debate surrounding the safety of weighted infant sleep products continues as stakeholders work towards establishing clearer safety standards in the market.