Infant swings sold exclusively on Amazon recalled for suffocation risk

Krysyan Edler
·2 min read
The “Honey Joy Infant Swing,” sold exclusively on Amazon, violates the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The “Honey Joy Infant Swing,” sold exclusively on Amazon, violates the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. | Steven Senne, Associated Press

The Honey Joy Infant Swing, sold exclusively on Amazon, was recalled on Thursday for posing a risk for infant suffocation.

The swing is advertised for infant sleep but has an incline greater than 10 degrees, which violates the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

About 170 swings were recalled. The recall is for the gray and beige swings with the following model numbers:

  • BB5569US-GR.

  • BB5569US-BE.

The swings were sold on Amazon from November 2022 to January 2023. No incidents or injuries were reported.

The CPSC urges parents who own one of the swings to stop using the product immediately and to contact Honey Joy for a refund and to learn how to properly discard it in a way that will prevent other parents from using it for their babies.

What is the Safe Sleep for Babies Act?

President Joe Biden signed the Safe Sleep for Babies Act in 2022, banning crib bumpers and inclined infant sleepers with an incline greater than 10 degrees.

Both products have been linked to over 200 infant deaths, according to Consumer Reports.

The act provided needed regulation for products marketed for infant sleep. Previously, products like infant swings were not under the same regulations as products such as cribs and bassinets, despite also being used as a place for babies to sleep.

Why are inclined infant swings dangerous for babies?

The danger of inclined infant swings is the position that babies fall asleep in while in the swing. Babies should sleep on their backs on a flat, firm surface until they are 12 months old. They should not be placed on their stomachs or sides to sleep.

“Infant fatalities have occurred in inclined sleepers, after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained, or under other circumstances,” the CPSC said.

Stomach sleeping can block airways and can also cause babies to breathe in their own exhaled air, which decreases the baby’s oxygen levels, according to Nemours KidsHealth.

Have infants died in inclined infant swings?

In addition to the dangers of sleeping on their stomach, there are dangers if a baby falls asleep angled at a steep incline. If a baby falls asleep at an incline greater than 10 degrees, there’s a chance the baby could lean forward and sleep with their chin on their chest, which could restrict their airways.

A 2019 report from the CPSC found that portable infant swings were associated with 11 baby deaths from 2014 to 2016, and infant inclined sleep products were associated with 10 deaths during that time.

The CPSC also reported that approximately 3,400 babies under 12 months old die suddenly and unexpectedly in their sleep environment every year.