NEWS Family and Parenting News Are Rockers Safe for Babies? By Elisa Cinelli Elisa Cinelli LinkedIn Elisa is a well-known parenting writer who is passionate about providing research-based content to help parents make the best decisions for their families. She has written for well-known sites including POPSUGAR Family and Scary Mommy, among others. Learn about our editorial process Updated on July 15, 2022 Fact checked Verywell Family content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Marley Hall Fact checked by Marley Hall LinkedIn Marley Hall is a writer and fact-checker who is certified in clinical and translational research. Her work has been published in medical journals in the field of surgery, and she has received numerous awards for publication in education. Learn about our editorial process Share Tweet Email Print Karl Tapales/Getty Images Key Takeaways Parents are being warned against using infant rockers for sleep after 14 babies died in them.Babies should never fall asleep in a rocker, but it's OK to set your baby down in one.If you don't think you can prevent your baby from falling asleep in a rocker, you should get rid of yours. 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. Can Babies Sleep in a Baby Swing? 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." Nilong Vyas, MD If the parent will be tempted to use [infant rockers] overnight or during a nap, then it would be best to remove them from the home. — Nilong Vyas, MD New Law Helps Babies Sleeps Safer By Banning Crib Bumpers 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. Heather Wallace, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Postpartum Doula When parents are exhausted and desperate they are more at risk for using an unsafe sleeping arrangement. — Heather Wallace, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Postpartum Doula Although your baby can spend some awake time in a rocker, also be aware that babies should only spend a limited amount of time in containment devices. This includes rockers, bouncers, car seats, and high chairs. Too much time in containment devices can impede physical development, so they should only be used when needed. The Safest Sleeping Position for Your Baby 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. What This Means For You Falling asleep in an inclined rocker is dangerous for babies. It can lead to death by positional asphyxiation. It's OK to put your infant down in a rocker for short periods of time, but only if you supervise them and make sure that they do not fall asleep. If you don't think your baby can stay awake in a rocker, you should not use it. Newborns sleep most of the time, so it's best not to use rockers at this age unless it's only for a minute or two. Researchers Find a Biomarker That May Help Prevent SIDS 8 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC and Kids2 warn consumers about death in a Kids2 Rocker: Advise rockers should never be used for sleep. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC and Fisher-Price warn consumers about 13 deaths in Fisher-Price infant-to-toddler and newborn-to-toddler Rockers: Advise rockers should never be used for sleep. American Academy of Pediatrics. How to keep your sleeping baby safe: AAP policy explained. American Academy of Pediatrics. The American Academy of Pediatrics updates safe sleep recommendations: Back is best. Chmieliauskas S, Mundinas E, Fomin D, et al. Sudden deaths from positional asphyxia: A case report. Med. 2018;97(24):e11041. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000011041 Tham EK, Schneider N, Broekman BF. Infant sleep and its relation with cognition and growth: A narrative review. Nature Sci Sleep. 2017;9:135–49. doi:10.2147/NSS.S125992. Bruni O, Baumgartner E, Sette S, et al. Longitudinal study of sleep behavior in normal infants during the first year of life. J Clin Sleep Med. 2014;10(10):1119–27. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4114 American Academy of Pediatrics. Out of the container and onto the floor. Editorial Process Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit