Graco Inclined Sleeper Recall Issued Due to Risk of Infant Death

Federal safety officials have announced a recall of more than 50,000 Graco inclined sleepers, due to design defects which may pose a risk of entrapment and suffocation for babies, after similar designs have been linked to dozens of infant fatalities.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the Graco inclined sleeper recall on December 16, after recognizing the products may increase the risk of infants becoming trapped or suffocating against the fabric if they roll over.

Inclining infant sleepers and bassinets are designed to elevate the baby’s head and torso. Inclining the infant during sleep has been shown to help prevent acid-reflux or congestion. However, the design has proven potentially deadly for babies old enough to rollover on their own, or if the incline of the bassinet forces the child’s chin down to his or her neck, creating an airway blockage.

The recalled sleepers include the inclined accessory sold with the Graco Pack ‘n Play Day2Dream Playard with Bedside Sleeper with model numbers 2034085, 2048753 and 2053215,  Graco Pack ‘n Play Nuzzle Nest Playard with model numbers 1947177 and 1896392, Graco Pack ‘n Play Everest Playard with model numbers 1946902 and 1946903, and Graco Pack ‘n Play Rock ‘n Grow Playard with model number 2105055.

Officials indicate only the inclined sleeper accessory is being recalled, and customers may continue using the Playards and other associated accessories.

The products were manufactured by in China and imported by Graco Children’s Products Inc., of Atlanta, Georgia. They were distributed for sale throughout the United States at Babies R Us, BuyBuyBaby and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Target.com and various other websites from May 2015 through September 2020 for between $270 and $350.

Customers are being instructed to stop using the inclined sleeper accessories immediately and contact Graco at 800-345-4109 for a refund.

Inclined Sleeper Risks

Inclined infant sleeper safety concerns were first made public in April 2019, when the CPSC issued a Fisher-Price Rock’n Play warning, instructing consumers to stop placing their infants in the sleepers by three months old, or before they begin to show signs that they can roll over independently. The warning was issued after the CPSC publicly recognized at least 32 infant deaths related to the products.

Since the warning, several manufacturers issued recalls of inclined sleeper products in April, including Fisher-Price’s recall of 4.7 million Rock’n Play Sleepers and a recall of 694,000 Kids II inclined rocking sleepers. Fischer-Price subsequently released an additional inclined sleeper recall in June, impacting 71,000 inclined sleeping accessories sold with their Ultra-Lite Day & Night Play Yards.

Fischer-Price has been riddled with a number of inclined sleeper wrongful death lawsuits and class action claims, alleging the manufacturer knew or should have known about the risk of problems, yet delayed announcing a recall or warning, and knowingly allowed parents to continue purchasing life threatening sleeper devices.

Following the series of recalls, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) released a survey in August 2019, finding at least 10% of child daycare facilities nationwide currently had one or more of the recalled infant beds in their possession, and were continuing to use the products on a daily basis.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), about 4,000 infants annually die unexpectedly during sleep from accidental suffocation, sudden infant death syndrome, or unknown causes. Many of the reported fatalities are a result of suffocation from rolling on their sides or stomach.

To reduce suffocation and accidental deaths, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends infants sleep on their backs positioned on a firm, empty surface, not containing any soft objects toys, pillows or loose bedding. The recommendations call for new parents to always follow the ABCs of safe sleep: Alone on the Back in a bare Crib.