HOUSTON – The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about infant sleep positioners, calling them dangerous and unnecessary.
According to a report, 13 infant suffocation deaths have been linked to the products from 1997 to 2011. The babies that died where 21 days old to four months. Most of those babies were found on their stomachs, after being put to sleep on their sides, something the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly advised against.
According to experts, babies should sleep on their backs in a crib with no pillows, stuffed animals or heavy blankets to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Those soft items can end up covering a baby's face and block breathing.
According to the report, some parents may use the sleep positioners to keep babies on their sides, thinking the products will keep babies in the recommended position.