An Irish consumer watchdog has issued a stark warning to parents to never use pillows or soft toys marketed as baby sleep accessories or ‘baby sleep pillows.’
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) shared a statement after establishing that these types of products are for sale to Irish consumers, often through online marketplaces.
According to RTE, the CCPS said it had issued takedown notices which have so far prompted the removal of 1,115 listings of these products from AliExpress, Amazon, Fruugo and Joom.
A spokeswoman said the CCPC product safety officers continue to engage with online marketplaces to ensure that any of these products marketed for sleep and use in cots with babies are removed.
What are baby sleep pillows?
Baby sleep pillows – sometimes called soothing pillows, baby sleep positioners, baby patters or sleep companions – are soft, cushioned products that mimic cuddly toys and often animal shaped, which are marketed as sleep aids for babies.
However, far from being just cute or helpful to get babies to nod off, these actually pose a serious risk to babies’ lives when placed with sleeping and/or unattended babies.
If left unattended babies can suffocate if something covers their nose and mouth, which these pillows can easily do, and the CCPC warned that such items should never be placed in a baby’s cot or left with an unattended baby.
Keeping sleeping babies safe
In order to help prevent cot death, the HSE recommends always placing babies on their backs with their feet to the end of the cot and keeping their heads uncovered.
Instead of a regular blanket or duvet, parents are urged to use cellular blankets (the tiny holes allow air to circulate) or a sleeveless sleeping bag.
‘Research has shown that there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of cot death or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS),’ said Dr Fiona Cianci, a consultant in public health medicine with the HSE Child Health Public Health unit.
‘This includes putting your baby on their back to sleep in a cot with a well-fitting, firm mattress and clear of all items, including soft objects or anything loose or fluffy.’
She adds:
‘Pillows, cushions and similar products should not be in the cot as they could suffocate your baby. There is also a risk of a baby overheating if they are sleeping on a soft surface that their head can sink into. There is a higher risk of SIDS if a baby overheats.’
Cianci says that some of these products are described to parents as helping babies with issues such as reflux or flat head syndrome (plagiocephaly).
‘Our advice is to never use any pillow, cushion or similar product.’
CCPC director of communications Grainne Griffin said the watchdog’s officers have secured ‘the removal of a number of listings offering these unsafe products for sale and acted quickly to get them off the market.’
She stated:
‘The CCPC will continue market surveillance activities for these products and ensure that sales to Irish consumers are stopped.’
