Are Rockers Safe for Babies?

Getting your baby to sleep is not always easy for new parents. There are many tricks of the trade to get your little one snoozing, but it's important never to use an inclined baby rocker for sleep. Last month, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued warnings about infant rockers after the deaths of 14 children were tied to their use.

Thirteen of these deaths were in Fisher-Price Rockers between 2009 and 2021, and one was in a Kids2 Rocker in 2019. The CPSC's advice is in line with that of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which emphasizes these products are not for sleep. If your baby falls asleep in a rocker, you should move them to a safe sleep environment right away. Babies should only sleep on a firm flat surface such as a crib, bassinet, or play yard.

Should I Throw Out My Infant Rocker?

Rockers keep babies calm because they are so comfortable. Infants enjoy feeling snug and being in a slightly inclined position. But, rockers can be a little too comfortable. If they lull your little one to sleep, they aren't safe. If a baby falls asleep at an incline, their head may lull forward, compressing the windpipe. Then, if the infant does not have the neck strength to reposition and they are unable to arouse themselves to call for help, it can lead to death by positional asphyxiation.

So the big questions are—should you even get a baby rocker? If you have one, do you need to get rid of it? Maybe, but not necessarily. "Rockers may be used to place the infant in during the day when awake and buckled appropriately," says Nilong Vyas, MD, a pediatrician at Sleepless in NOLA and Medical Review Expert at Sleep Foundation. "However, if the parent will be tempted to use these devices overnight or during a nap if these devices are in the home, then it would be best to remove them."

Are Rockers Safe for Newborns?

It's probably not a good idea to put your newborn in a rocker unless it's just for a moment. "The problem is that there is very little time that the newborn is awake, other than when they're eating," notes Heather Wallace, a certified pediatric sleep consultant, postpartum doula, and the owner of BraveHeart Sleep Training and Postpartum Doula Counseling. "So a few minutes after you set your newborn in the rocker he could very well drift off to sleep. When parents are exhausted and desperate they are more at risk for using an unsafe sleeping arrangement."

As your baby gets older, they will begin to stay awake for longer periods. Their sleep patterns will also become more apparent. A 4-month-old who just woke from a nice, long morning nap and drank 4 ounces of milk will probably be up and alert for a good hour and a half. If you need to use the rocker to cook dinner or attend to another child, choose a time you're pretty sure your baby won't fall asleep. However, always supervise your baby in a rocker.

Safe Sleep for Babies

The AAP advises parents to put their babies to sleep on their backs in a crib, bassinet, or play yard. The baby should be the only thing in the sleep space other than a pacifier. There should be no blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals. Babies should sleep in the same room, but never the same bed, as the parents.

In June, the AAP updated its guidelines for the first time since 2016. The update further emphasizes the dangers of any bed-sharing and putting your baby to sleep in any product that does not meet the CPSC standards for safe sleep, especially products that are not flat and firm. This includes inclined baby rockers.

The new guidelines also say weighted swaddles or anything weighted to help baby sleep should not be used. Parents may swaddle their baby in a standard receiving blanket from birth, but this practice should be discontinued as soon as the baby shows signs of rolling or when they reach 8 weeks of age, whichever comes first.