Congressman Tony Cárdenas, Washington Congresswoman Kim Schrier and Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal introduced the bicameral Safeguarding Infants from Dangerous Sleep Act on Friday, Aug. 2, to ban weighted sleep products like swaddles, sleep sacks and blankets that obstruct movement and make it difficult for babies to breath during unsupervised overnight sleep.
Following multiple infant deaths, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned parents and consumers of the dangers of weighted sleep products and deemed them unsafe.
“As a grandfather and a representative to many young families, I’m extremely concerned about these unsafe and untested products that are being sold to millions of Americans and are putting the most vulnerable in danger,” said Cárdenas. “With the introduction of the Safeguarding Infants from Dangerous Sleep Act we are moving forward with prioritizing the safety and well-being of our infants and giving peace of mind to parents that demand greater oversight and accountability.”
“As a pediatrician, the safety and well-being of our children has and will always be a top priority of mine,” said Schrier. “Experts from organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics agree that weighted blankets pose a danger to infants that many parents may not recognize.”
“Experts agree that weighted sleep sacks and swaddles are downright dangerous – restricting babies’ movements and putting pressure on their chests that potentially impact their breathing,”said Blumenthal.“Our Safeguarding Infants from Dangerous Sleep Act will take the proactive action parents need to ensure that only the safest products are available to help their babies sleep. The stakes are simply too high to allow weighted infant sleep sacks and swaddles to stay on the market without evidence that they are safe.”
“Exhausted parents shouldn’t have to become part-time product safety regulators, but our current system forces them to by allowing infant products onto the market without evidence they are safe,” said American Academy of Pediatrics President Benjamin D. Hoffman, MD, FAAP. “We need a proactive approach that keeps infants safe and gives parents the peace of mind they deserve.”
Along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Safeguarding Infants from Dangerous Sleep Act is supported by Kids in Danger, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, Public Citizen, US PIRG and Safe Infant Sleep.
Earlier this year, major American retailers Target, Walmart, Nordstrom and Babylist announced they would stop selling these products in the interest of safety.