Washington, D.C. – Today, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a critically important warning about infant loungers manufactured by Leachco, Inc: the Podster Plush, Bummzie, and Podster Playtime. The CPSC also shared information about the two known deaths associated with these product. This announcement is alarming. We urge families who have these loungers to immediately stop using these products. These potentially dangerous products must be removed from homes, childcare facilities, and the second-hand market.

Newborns and infants sleep safest on flat surfaces, in products tested and sold specifically for sleep such as cribs, bassinets and play yards. Whenever a baby falls asleep in a non-sleep product, caregivers should move them as soon as possible and place them in a safe sleep product. While the infant lounger company may have warned about sleep, the intuitive use for a newborn lying on a lounger is to let them continue to sleep on it. Supervision, even close supervision, while sleeping in an unsafe product is not enough. Positional asphyxiation can occur even as a baby appears to be sleeping.

The new Infant Sleep Product Rule proposed by the CPSC will ensure that products sold for sleep are safe for unattended sleep for infants. Currently, too many products make their way onto the market that can appear to be for sleep, but do not provide a safe sleep environment. We urge Leachco to agree to recall these potentially hazardous products and work aggressively to reach all users of theses products.

For more information on safe sleep, go to KID’s page or the CPSC’s safe sleep information page.