New rules approved by CPSC, including bans on inclined sleepers, crib bumpers for infants
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Keeping babies safe with new rules being implemented by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
There is now a ban on certain kinds of sleepers for babies and bumpers for cribs. Federal officials say they're too dangerous.
The bans on inclined sleepers for infants and crib bumpers were established in the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, which prohibits the sale of these products as well as the manufacture, distribution, or importation of these products into the U.S.
The new rules implement the statute which went into effect in November 2022.
"It's definitely better to leave them on their back," Joslyn Larocco said. "Nothing else in the bassinet or crib."
New mom Larocco is aware and careful about what's safe for her new baby when it comes to sleep.
Research shows sleep-related infant deaths happen when a baby with a vulnerability to sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS is placed in an unsafe sleep environment.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says about 3,500 infants die from sleep-related causes annually in the United States.
"The best and safest way for babies to sleep, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, is alone on their back in a firm flat surface that's free of any soft bedding or restraints," Rachel Rabkin Peachman, Consumer Reports, said.
That means only a fitted sheet in the crib. No blankets, pillows, or padded crib bumpers should be added.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents sleep in the same room as the baby for the first six months but not in the same bed to reduce the risk of sleep-related deaths.
Parents are advised not to let babies routinely sleep in strollers, car seats, or swings.
