5 On Your Side: Safe sleeping products for babies

Every parent wants their baby to sleep safely, but some popular products could put infants in danger. Experts say now’s the time for parents to stay alert, as federal safety agencies face unprecedented changes and major staffing and budget cuts. Consumer Reports reveals an important warning about risky products still being sold.

From banned drop-side cribs and crib bumper pads to deadly inclined sleepers, baby sleep products have a long history of recalls by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Parents count on the CPSC to set safety standards, get dangerous products like inclined sleepers and padded crib bumpers off the market, and hold companies accountable for wrongdoing. But with recent proposals to eliminate the agency, there’s concern that important safety issues will slip through the cracks.

Most recently, Consumer Reports found that the popular Halo BassiNest Flex portable bassinet, which uses a cantilevered structure, tends to tilt to one side instead of staying flat. In online reviews and incident reports, numerous parents have warned that when you place a baby inside the bassinet, the surface tilts, sloping toward the unsupported side.

CR’s safety tests confirmed what parents were seeing when a weight is placed inside, the sleep surface is not flat. A bassinet that tilts can be dangerous if a baby rolls into a corner or ends up face down. The Halo BassiNest Flex portable bassinet has yet to be recalled. 

The company issued the following statement regarding the product:

“At HALO Dream, Inc., we take matters of consumer safety very seriously. There continue to be no reported serious injuries or fatalities to babies with the BassiNest Flex. With respect to the class actions involving the BassiNest Flex, the parties have agreed to a settlement as a mutual compromise. HALO Dream, Inc. expressly denies all allegations asserted in those actions, stands by the safety of BassiNest Flex, and has no plans to initiate a recall for the product.”

HALO Dream Company

If the CPSC is eliminated and product safety standards aren’t enforced, consumers will be left to navigate a more dangerous marketplace with less oversight.

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ safe sleep guidelines are clear: the safest sleep setup for infants is placing a baby alone, on a flat, firm surface with no pillows, blankets, bumpers, or inclined positioning.

Top-rated bassinets in CR’s tests include the Maxi-Cosi Iora Bedside Bassinet and the Chicco LullaGo Anywhere Bassinet. CR’s testers evaluate bassinets for safety, convenience, and ease of assembly.

Cribs that performed well in CR’s tests include the Namesake Abigail 3 in 1 Convertible Metal Crib and the Pottery Barn Kids Kendall Convertible Crib. CR’s experts rigorously test cribs in our labs for safety and construction.

To find out whether a baby product has been recalled, visit cpsc.gov/recalls. You can also see the full list of CR’s crib and bassinet ratings on Consumer Reports’ website.
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