Yet another recall has been announced for dangerous inclined infant products that could prove deadly to the very children they’re supposed to soothe.
This time around, parents and caregivers are being warned not to use certain MamaRoo Infant Swings and RockaRoo Baby Rockers because of restraint straps that pose an entanglement and strangulation hazard when the products aren’t even in use. Sadly, the recall came too late to save at least one child who died after being caught in dangling straps while crawling beneath a MamaRoo swing.
Our Child Injury Lawyers have extensive experience representing the victims of dangerous and defective infant products and toys. If your son or daughter was hurt by a recalled MamaRoo Infant Swing or RockaRoo Rocker, please call our law firm toll-free at 877-875-2927 to speak with an attorney and learn more about your legal rights.
MamaRoo Swings & RockaRoo Rockers: What’s the Problem?
This recall involves 2 million MamaRoo Infant Swings, Versions 1.0 through 4.0, and RockaRoo Rockers sold by Thorley Industries, LLC, d.b.a. 4moms, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. An additional 60,000 MamaRoo and 10,000 RockaRoo were also sold in Canada.
According to a notice posted on the CPSC website, their restraint straps can hang below the seat when the swing or rocker is not in use, allowing non-occupant crawling infants to become entangled in the straps, posing entanglement and strangulation hazards.
4moms has received two reports of entanglement incidents involving infants who became caught in the strap under the unoccupied MamaRoo infant swing after crawling under the seat, including a 10-month-old infant who tragically died from asphyxiation. The other child, also 10-month-old, suffered bruising to his neck before being rescued by a caregiver.
No incidents involving the RockaRoo have been reported
How to Identify a Recalled MamaRoo or RockaRoo
The MamaRoo is an inclined baby swing that offers multiple motions and speeds. Buttons on the base control the motion, speed, and sound. The model number is located on the bottom of the unit. Only MamaRoo models that use a 3-point harness — versions 1.0 and 2.0 (model number 4M-005), version 3.0 (model number 1026), and version 4.0 (model number 1037) — are included in this recall. The MamaRoo model that uses a 5-point harness is not.
The RockaRoo is an inclined baby rocker with a front-to-back gliding motion. The base is equipped with an analog knob and power button to control the rocker’s range of motion. The model number 4M-012 is located on the bottom of the unit.
Both the MamaRoo swings and RockaRoo rockers were sold at BuyBuy Baby and Target stores nationwide and online at 4moms.com and Amazon from January 2010 through August 2022 for between $160 and $250.
What Should You Do with a Recalled Infant Swing or Rocker?
If your baby can crawl, you should immediately stop using the recalled swings and rockers and place them in an area where they can’t be accessed by a crawling infant. All purchasers should contact 4moms immediately to register for a free fastener that will prevent the straps from extending under the swing or rocker when not in use.
4moms can be reached at 877-870-7390, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or by email at safetyandrecall@4moms.com. Consumers can also contact the company through its website at https://www.4momsrecall.expertinquiry.com/ or https://www.4moms.com, then click on SAFETY & RECALL at the top of the page for more information.
Fisher-Price, Kids2 Re-Announce Infant Rocker Recalls After Additional Deaths
Unfortunately, inclined infant sleepers, rockers, gliders, and soothers are frequently subject to recall.
In January, for example, Fisher-Price re-announced a recall for nearly 5 million Rock ‘n Play Sleepers after receiving reports of eight infant deaths that followed the initial recall in April 2019. According to the CPSC, around 100 infant deaths have now been linked to Rock n’ Play sleepers. In most of those cases, babies suffocated after rolling onto their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained.
That same month, Kids2 also re-announced its recall of nearly 700,000 Rocking Sleepers that posed a similar suffocation risk. Those rockers have been linked to 19 infant deaths, including four that occurred after the initial recall in April 2019.
The Rock-n-Play wasn’t the only Fisher-Price infant rocker to prove dangerous.
In June 2021, the company recalled 4-in-1 Rock ‘n Glide Soothers and 2-in-1 Soothe ‘n Play Gliders, again for a suffocation hazard. At the time, four infants were known to have died in the Rock ‘n Glide, all of whom were found on their stomachs after being placed on their backs in the soother unrestrained.
CPSC Infant Sleep Product Rule Aims to Eliminate Dangerous Products from Market
The CPSC’s new Infant Sleep Product Rule took effect in June 2023, intending to eliminate dangerous inclined sleeper products such as the Rock ‘n Play from the market.
The rule requires that all included infant sleep products sold on or after June 23, 2022, have a sleep surface angle of 10 degrees or lower.
“As a parent, I know there is nothing more important than the safety of our children. I am pleased to announce this new safety standard will protect our most vulnerable population, babies,” CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric said at the time. “The new rule will support parents in making the safest possible choice for a product intended for babies’ sleep.”
It’s important to note that the CPSC’s regulation does not apply to inclined infant products not marketed for sleep. This loophole could allow manufacturers to continue selling existing products simply by altering names and labeling to omit any mention of sleep.
Ensure Your Baby Sleeps Safe
Parents and caregivers should never allow a baby to sleep in any inclined product, including car seats, as well as products marketed as bouncers, rockers, soothers, or gliders. It’s also important to:
- Always keep in mind that the safest place for your baby to sleep is on their back on a flat, bare surface dedicated to the infant.
- Keep blankets, pillows, or other items away from your infant’s sleep environment.
- Never use infant car seats, bouncers, and other reclining infant products for sleep.
- Always follow manufacturer instructions when using any nursery product.
- Check gov frequently to see if your nursery products have been recalled, and promptly follow the recall instructions to receive a refund, replacement, or repair.
- Register all nursery products with the manufacturer (registration cards are included with nursery items), so you’ll be contacted directly in the event of a recall.
Contact an Experienced Child Injury Lawyer
Child Injury Lawyer Jeffrey Killino believes babies hurt by defective infant products and their families deserve compensation for their pain and suffering. If your son or daughter was harmed by a recalled MamaRoo or RockaRoo, our child injury law firm is ready to help you pursue a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against those responsible. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-877-875- 2927.
