Birth Trauma / Medical Malpractice

Several major retailers, including Amazon.com and Toys “R” Us/Babies “R” Us, are voluntarily recalling 155,000 Nap Nanny recliners after the manufacturer refused to pull the items off the market in the wake of five infant deaths.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall involving the retailers Thursday, saying that they had agreed to participate “because the manufacturer is unable or unwilling to participate in the recall.” The recliners are made by Baby Matters LLC of Berwyn, Pa.

In addition to Amazon.com and Toys “R” Us/Babies “R” Us, Buy Buy Baby and Diapers.com agreed to take part in the recall.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the CPSC this month filed suit against Baby Matters after it could not reach a recall plan with the company.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323984704578205360137285032.html

The CPSC warned parents and caregivers that the baby recliners contain defects in the design, warnings and instructions that “pose a substantial risk of injury and death to infants.” The recall includes the Nap Nanny Generations One and Two, and the Chill model infant recliners.

In July 2010, CPSC and Baby Matters issued a joint press release that offered a discount coupon to Generation One owners toward the purchase of a newer model Nap Nanny, and improved instructions and warnings to consumers who owned the Generation Two model of Nap Nanny recliners.

“At the time of the 2010 recall, CPSC was aware of one death that had occurred in a Nap Nanny recliner and 22 reports of infants hanging or falling out over the side of the Nap Nanny, even though most of the infants had been placed in the harness,” the agency said in a press release.

“Subsequently, despite the improvements to the warnings and instructions, additional deaths using the Nap Nanny recliners were reported, including one in a Chill model,” the agency said. “Since the 2010 recall, CPSC has received an additional 70 reports of children nearly falling out of the product.”

The Nap Nanny is a portable infant recliner designed for sleeping, resting and playing. The recliner includes a bucket-seat-shaped foam base and a fitted fabric cover with a three-point harness.

Some 5,000 Nap Nanny Generation One and 50,000 Generation Two models were sold between 2009 and early 2012 and have been discontinued. Another 100,000 Chill Models have been sold since January 2011.

The recalled Nap Nanny recliners were sold at toy and children’s retail stores nationwide and online, including at www.napnanny.com. All models were priced around $130.