Soon after the Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play Sleeper was introduced in 2009 and marketed as a safe and soothing place for babies to sleep, the product quickly became popular among new parents. But recent research, including an ongoing investigation by Consumer Reports, has found that all inclined sleepers increase the risk of suffocation. That's because the sleepers, which position infants at an angle between 10 and 30 degrees, can allow a baby's head to slump forward, blocking airflow, and make it easier for a baby to roll over into the sleeper's sidewalls or head rest, interfering with breathing.
The products, including those made by other manufacturers, have been linked to at least 73 infant deaths and more than 1,000 incidents, many of them resulting in serious injuries.
Since CR’s investigation began in April 2019, several manufacturers have recalled more than 5 million infant inclined sleepers, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned caregivers not to use any inclined sleepers.
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In October 2019, the government agency took steps to ban the sleepers entirely, and the U.S. Senate is now considering legislation, already passed by the House of Representatives, that would also ban their manufacture and sale. While the proposed ban and legislation have not yet been implemented, Amazon, eBay, Buy Buy Baby, and Walmart have vowed to pull all infant inclined sleepers, even those that haven’t been recalled, from their stores and online marketplaces.
Below are infant inclined sleep products that have been recalled in the U.S. and Canada, listed in alphabetical order. (See a list of other potentially dangerous inclined products, including some that are still for sale.)
| Product Name (Click to go to the CPSC recall page) | Date Recalled | Recall Details (Click on a link below to read our article on the recall) |
| Baby Matters Nap Nanny and Chill Infant Recliners | June 13, 2013 | About 165,000 sleepers were recalled after five infant deaths were linked to the products. A sixth death was reported after the recall, in 2014. |
| Delta Inclined Sleepers With Adjustable Feeding Position for Newborns | Jan. 29, 2020 | About 5,900 sleepers were recalled because of infant fatalities linked to similar products. |
| Dorel Juvenile Group's Disney Baby Doze and Dream Bassinet and Eddie Bauer Slumber and Soothe Rock Bassinet | July 31, 2019 | About 24,000 sleepers were recalled because of infant fatalities linked to similar products. |
| Evenflo Pillo Portable Napper | Jan. 29, 2020 (U.S.); June 4, 2019 (Canada) | About 3,100 sleepers were recalled in the U.S. because of infant fatalities linked to similar products. About 1,100 were recalled in Canada because they didn't meet the country’s regulations for bassinets, cradles, and cribs. |
| Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play Sleeper | April 12, 2019 (U.S.); May 15, 2019 (Canada) | About 4.7 million sleepers were recalled in the U.S. because of more than 30 reported fatalities. In Canada, there were two recalls: one involving about 2,000 products sold from December 2009 to February 2011, and the other involving about 600 products sold between January 2018 and April 2019. (The recall does not apply to Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play Soothing Seats, almost identical products sold in Canada but not marketed for sleep.) |
| Fisher-Price inclined sleeper accessory sold with Ultra-Lite Day & Night Play Yards | June 27, 2019 | About 71,000 sleepers were recalled because of infant fatalities linked to similar products. |
| Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Rock ’n Glide Soothers | June 3, 2021 | About 120,000 soothers were recalled after four infant deaths were linked to the products. |
| Fisher-Price 2-in-1 Soothe ’n Play Gliders | June 3, 2021 | About 55,000 gliders were recalled after infant fatalities were linked to similar products. |
| Graco Little Lounger Rocking Seats | Jan. 29, 2020 | About 111,000 sleepers were recalled because of infant fatalities linked to similar products. |
| Graco inclined sleeper accessories included with four playard models | Dec. 16, 2020 | About 51,000 sleepers were recalled because of infant fatalities linked to similar products. |
| Kids II Rocking Sleepers, such as the Ingenuity Moonlight Rocking Sleeper and the Bright Starts Playtime to Bedtime Rocking Sleeper | April 26, 2019 | About 694,000 sleepers were recalled after the company's sleepers were linked to five infant fatalities. |
| Kolcraft Cuddle ‘n Care 2-in-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleepers and the Preferred Position 2-in-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleepers | Feb. 20, 2020 | About 51,000 inclined sleeper accessories sold with two bassinets were recalled because of infant fatalities linked to similar inclined sleepers. |
| Sumr Brands SwaddleMe By Your Bed Sleepers | Jan. 29, 2020 | About 46,300 sleepers were recalled because of infant fatalities linked to similar inclined sleepers. |
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If you own a recalled sleeper, stop using the product immediately and follow the links above to contact the manufacturer and return the product for a refund or voucher. If you can’t participate in the recall, do not sell or give the sleeper away; instead destroy the sleeper so that it can’t be used by anyone else.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has long recommended that babies sleep alone and unrestrained on their backs, on a firm, flat surface that is free from soft bedding.
To report an incident linked with these inclined sleep products or any other product, go to SaferProducts.gov or call the CPSC Hotline at 800-638-2772.
Rachel Rabkin Peachman
Rachel Rabkin Peachman worked at Consumer Reports from 2018 to 2022, focusing on issues affecting people's health, safety, and well-being. She has covered topics such as dangerous doctors, deadly children's products, and contamination in our food supply, and is the co-author of “When Children Feel Pain: From Everyday Aches to Chronic Conditions” (Harvard University Press, 2022). Follow Rachel on X (@RachelPeachman).
