Cushion Support For Your Babies: How To Use It Safely?

There are new safety rules to support your infants with cushions. Yes, you read that right. Cushioning is very important for your babies, as they do not yet have the strength to hold their heads. It also comes in handy during feeding, playtime, or lounging. However, these products have recently come under scrutiny for safety concerns, which led to new mandates by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). These regulations mainly aim to prevent the risks of suffocation, entrapment, and falls, which have tragically led to injuries and deaths in the recent years.

As per CSPC, between 2010 and 2022, there were 79 infant deaths and 124 injuries related to infant support cushions. These babies were mostly under three months, and the incidents occurred where cushions were used in unsafe sleeping environments, such as adult beds, couches, bassinets, cribs and futons.

These cushions are not designed for sleep, and so leaving your baby unattended on an inclined cushion, can lead to suffocation, especially when the cushion conforms to the baby's face or causes dangerous head and neck positioning.

What is the New CPSC Safety Rule?

The new rules, which apply to all infant support cushions manufactured 180 days after publication in the Federal Register, aim to address these dangers comprehensively.

Firmness Testing: It means the cushion's surface does not conform to a baby's face to reduce risk of suffocation.

Sidewall Angle Testing: Requires sidewalls to form an angle greater than 90 degrees, minimizing the chances of entrapment and suffocation.

Incline Angle Limits: It sets a maximum incline angle of 10 degrees to prevent hazardous positioning of a baby’s head and neck.

Prohibition of Restraints: Restraints are no longer allowed, as they may give caregivers the false impression that infants can be left unattended.

ALSO READ: Why Forward-Facing Car Seat Could Be Lethal For Your Baby?

Stronger Warning Labels: Mandates visible, permanent, and strongly worded warnings to emphasize the product’s proper use and associated risks.

The CPSC’s Commitment to Safer Products

“This is an important rule that creates safety standards for a set of products that—until now—were not subject to comprehensive safety standards and created suffocation hazards for infants,” said Alexander Hoehn-Saric, Chair of the CPSC.

These new measures reflect the CPSC’s broader mission to enhance the safety of all durable infant products, aligning with similar actions taken to regulate cribs, bassinets, and other baby gear.

What Are Infant Support Cushions?

Infant support cushions include a range of products, such as:

• Infant loungers
• Tummy time pillows
• Crib pillows and wedge pillows
• Multi-purpose nursing and lounging pillows
• Infant head positioners

These products are often marketed for their versatility but must be used cautiously to avoid unintended harm.

How can you use cushions safely?

• Do not use an infant support cushion for naps or nighttime sleep.
• Always stay close and watch your baby. Do not leave your baby unattended.
• Keep cushion only on a flat surface, avoid any elevated space.
• Keep the area where you use the cushion clear of any blankets or pillow, to prevent any suffocation.