Fisher-Price Rock n Play Recall: What You Need to Know

The Fisher-Price Rock n Play recall comes in the wake of tragic infant deaths resulting from a product that according to consumer advocates was poorly designed.

Since the product was introduced a decade ago, it has been among the top-selling infant care products on the market. However, now that serious safety concerns have been raised, Fisher-Price’s parent company, Mattel, has announced a recall of all Rock n Play units, advising consumers to stop using it immediately.

What is the Fisher-Price Rock n Play?

The Rock n Play Sleeper is a reclining baby rocker that included many different features designed to promote through-the-night infant sleep. It consists of a sling-shaped cradle, suspended from a frame, similar to a hammock. It allows an infant to sleep in a more upright position at a roughly 30 percent incline.

It was considered a major boon for parents, exhausted and sleep-deprived from having to hold their babies in order to get them to nod off. The product featured an automatic rocking and vibrating motion and built-in music system, with three dozen models to choose from. A similar product, known as the Snoo Smart Sleeper, carries a whopping $1,300 price tag, so the more modestly-priced ($50 – $150) Rock n Play was considered a bargain.

Why is There a Rock n Play Recall?

According to the product package, the Rock n Play is “great for overnight sleep,” while the corporate website claimed that the “inclined seat helps baby sleep all night long.” However, these statements reportedly contradict the advice of reputable pediatricians. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that infants be placed on their backs for sleep, on a firm, flat, motionless surface without blankets, pillows or anything else that may pose a suffocation risk.

Pediatricians began sounding the alarms years ago. The inclined sleeping position poses a risk of positional asphyxia; according to a warning issued jointly by Fisher-Price and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, “Infant fatalities have occurred in Rock ’n Play Sleepers, after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained, or under other circumstances.”

How Many Infants Have Been Affected?

Approximately 4.7 million units have been subject to the Rock n Play recall. According to Consumer Reports, at least 32 infants have died as a result of being placed in the product. Half of those deaths have occurred since September of 2016. Last November, the Wall Street Journal reported that over 700 infants have suffered injuries since 2005 as a result of sleeping in the Rock n Play or similar devices.

Who is Responsible?

Currently, there is a debate between the manufacturer, which claims that parents failed to use the Rock n Play as directed, and the pediatric community, which says that the device was defectively designed to begin with. Currently, the AAP and consumer groups are pushing for stronger regulations over baby sleeper products.

Currently, product liability attorneys are investigating the matter in anticipation of a Rock n Play class action lawsuit against Fisher-Price and Mattel.

Join a Fisher-Price Rock-n-Play Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you purchased a Fisher-Price Rock-n-Play sleeper that was part of the recent recall, you may qualify to join this Fisher-Price class action lawsuit investigation.

Learn More