New Safety Guidelines Recommended for Nursing Pillows After Infant Deaths
“The problem is that exhausted parents are using breastfeeding pillows as infant sleep aids, or the parent is accidentally falling asleep while using a nursing pillow. Falling asleep while using a breastfeeding pillow puts your baby at risk of slipping between cushions, rolling to an unsafe position, and falling to the floor,” Karp explains. “Infants who fall asleep on breastfeeding pillows can roll or move into positions that obstruct their breathing. Also, if you place the breastfeeding pillow under your baby’s head, their head can tip toward their chin onto their chest, potentially obstructing their narrow airway.”
As for why there was no prior safety standard for nursing pillows already in place, Shelby Harris, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis, says it’s because nursing pillows are a newer product category, and safety standards usually develop as products gain more popularity and risks are recognized.
What Should I Do If I Have a Nursing Pillow?
Dr. Harris says if you’re currently using a nursing pillow, you should follow the manufacturer's guidelines for safe use, supervise your baby closely while using the pillow, and avoid letting babies sleep on it.
“Whether to keep using it depends on personal comfort and preferences, but following safety tips and staying updated on guidelines from the CPSC is key,” she adds.
Dr. Karp believes every parent must leave the hospital with all the info they need regarding safe sleep. For example, always placing the baby on the back for sleep and making sure sleeping babies are always on a firm mattress in an empty crib or bassinet. He also understands new parents are human and “wonderful, caring parents make mistakes when they’re exhausted and desperate.”
By ensuring breastfeeding pillows are sufficiently firm, cannot conform to an infant’s face and parents are properly educated on using them, Dr. Karp believes that babies can be kept safe.
