Amazon and Target to Stop Selling Weighted Baby Blankets and Swaddles

While weighted blankets may be comforting for adults to soothe their anxiety and drift off to sleep, these trendy items can pose serious safety concerns to babies. To help keep these potentially harmful items out of households, major retailers like Amazon, Target and Babylist have decided to pull them off shelves and from virtual storefronts across the nation.

On April 26, Consumer Reports shared the big news that the retailers would stop the sale of weighted baby sleep items due to safety concerns. “It’s promising to see companies including Amazon and Target step up and make the right decision, based on the recommendations of medical and safety experts,” said Oriene Shin, policy counsel for Consumer Reports.

The decision comes in the wake of a recall of kid’s weighted blankets by Target, warnings from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and advisements against the products from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In July 2023, the AAP penned a letter to the CPSC reiterating not only the danger of the products—they can pose an entrapment problem and risk of death by asphyxiation—but also a lack of evidence proving that they were effective in helping babies sleep longer or with fewer disruptions. It was also suggested by the organization that “impaired arousal may contribute to the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), so a product that decreases arousal may increase the risk of SIDS.”

“Too often, products that contradict clear expert guidance are for sale for years and end up putting babies and children at serious risk,” Shin said. “Parents deserve nothing less than products that are proven safe before entering the marketplace. All retailers and online platforms should immediately stop selling these concerning products.”

The AAP recommends that infants always sleep on their back, on a separate, flat and firm sleep surface without any bumpers or loose bedding. If you’re looking for some ways to make sure you’re following safe infant sleep practices, check out our top 10 tips.

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