About 63,000 infant swings recalled due to suffocation hazard

Jool Baby, a brand of children’s products, has recalled about 63,000 infant swings that were sold at Walmart stores and online because they posed a suffocation risk, federal safety regulators said.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday that the Jool Baby Nova Baby Infant Swing that was marketed, intended or designed for infant sleep posed a suffocation risk because it had an incline angle greater than 10 degrees.

The product was in violation of the commission’s Infant Sleep Products Regulation and the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, the agency said.

A study cited in the federal regulation of infant sleep products found that infants who slept in products with a 20-degree incline were exposed to increased demand on the abdominal muscles, which could lead to fatigue and suffocation. The same study determined that an incline of 10 degrees or below does not significantly affect infant motion or muscle activity.

The recall notice affects infant swings that were manufactured from June 2022 through September 2023.

Those swings are gray and measure about 28 inches long, 19 inches wide and 24 inches high. They have a round aluminum base with music buttons on the front, a metal seat frame, a cloth seat with restraints and a headrest, and a canopy with hanging toys, such as moons, clouds and stars.

The swings, which were manufactured in China, do not include a mandatory warning regarding sleep, said Jool Baby, which is based in Lakewood, New Jersey.

“You can continue using the Nova Swing to help keep your baby entertained and engaged,” according to a voluntary recall message posted on the Jool Baby website. “However, if your baby falls asleep while in the swing, remove baby and place on a firm, flat surface such as a crib or bassinet.”

The company added, “using the Nova Swing or any product with an angle above 10 degrees is not safe for sleep.”

The swings were sold at Walmart stores and the Jool Baby website, and online at shopping sites including Amazon, Babylist and Target, from November 2022 through November 2023 for about $150, the commission said.

The manufacturing date can be found on the sewn-in warning label on the back of the swing’s seat, formatted as month, day and year.

The commission and Jool Baby noted that there have been no reported injuries with the product.

According to the commission, people who have bought the swings should immediately stop using them for sleep and contact the company for a free repair kit, which includes a new seat with an updated on-product warning, a new remote control and new hanging plush toys.

Consumers who are affected should register at JoolBaby.com/recall and upload a photo of the warning label on their swings.

Jool Baby said that new government regulations require that the company update warning labels and instructions on the product, its packaging and the marketing materials for the swing “to make it clear to consumers that infant swings are not safe for babies to sleep in.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.