New Baby Gear Safety Regulations 2012

The problem: Parents concerned that their newborns would not stay safely on their backs used sleep positioners to keep babies comfortable and in a safe position and to help with digestion. The CPSC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that babies placed on their sides in the positioners could roll onto their stomachs and suffocate, while babies placed on their backs could shimmy up, leaving their heads hanging over the top and cutting off their ability to breathe. Twelve babies have died over the past 13 years.

The fix: This week, the FDA and the CPSC warned parents to stop using the positioners and to simply place their children on their backs to sleep.