Maker of Nap Nanny Infant Recliners Sued Over Safety Issues
We’ve heard moms rave about the Nap Nanny — an infant recliner that keeps baby propped up during naptime — so we were alarmed to hear that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) filed a complaint Wednesday, against Baby Matters, LLC, of Berwyn, Pa., the manufacturer of Nap Nanny and Nap Nanny Chill, saying the recliners could be dangerous.
In a statement, the CPSC says the “Nap Nanny Generation One and Two, and Chill model infant recliners contain defects in the design, warnings and instructions, which pose a substantial risk of injury and death to infants.” There have been over 70 reports to the CPSC of children nearly falling out of the product; four infants have died in Nap Nanny Generation Two recliners and a fifth death involved the Chill model.
The maker of the Nap Nanny, however, claims its products are safe, and that the incidents happened as a result of misuse. Leslie Gudel, owner and founder of Nap Nanny wrote on her website: “We do not believe the complaint has merit and stand behind the safety of our product when used as instructed… the fact that infants have died ‘while using’ the Nap Nanny improperly, such as when used in a crib where the child could suffocate on a crib bumper or a blanket, does not mean our product caused the child’s death or is hazardous.”
It remains to be seen what the courts will decide about Nap Nanny, but we’ll keep reporting as we hear more.
Have you ever used the Nap Nanny? Do you feel that it’s a safe product?
The Knot Blog
The Nest Blog
I wish this said what misuse led to death.
Hi Jackie,
“Misuse” of the Nap Nanny nearly always is/was the placing of it in the crib, which the products and website very clearly state NOT to do. Second to that sort of misuse is: a) not strapping the child in; b) putting the child in a Nap Nanny on a high surface, such as a table, counter, or even sofa, especially while unattended, which is also clearly stated as a no-no on the product and on the product’s site. I can’t fathom why a parent would ignore these warnings. This is a very different situation versus the sleep positioners that are clearly meant to be used in a crib and have caused deaths.
We used the Nap Nanny as my son’s first “bed”, on the floor by my side of the bed. We hope to use it again when he’s older as a hangout recliner of his very own for reading and such. I was able to take advantage of NN unfortunately going out of business to by buying additional covers at a significant discount to extend my NN’s life. Any other NN owners might want to go see if they still have items available.
I would say parents not using the strap that is intended to keep the baby from moving about. It is not the company fault if they are too lazy to use the safety strap attached to the product.
I swore by this product for the first 6 months of my son’s life. It was a life savor and he loved it. I will probably use it again when we have another one. It clearly states you are not supposed to use it in a crib, bassinet, or on an elevated surface. In my opinion this is just like then they recalled the Bumbo seat because people would leave their kids in it, on a table, then walk away and when the kid fell off the table and got hurt, they sue the company. These products are meant to replace good parenting.
The nap nanny is a wonderful product. As a pediatric nurse I recommend it for use on babies with reflux. Any product can pose a risk if misused. You MUST strrap your baby into it every time, and you can’t leave your baby in it unsupervised and treat it as if it were a babysitter. A majority of the babies using this product have medical conditions and you can’t blame this product for the deaths of babies. Why is the cause of death not stated? I will stil;l recommend this product.
I agree with Cindy. Anything when not used properly can cause serious injury or death. A child sleeping in a bib can cause strangulation or suffocation and again with the bumbo…. sometimes, ppl are just simply careless and blame their poor parenting and lack of judgement on someone else. But I guess its simpler to blame others than take responsibility and deal with the guilt themselves. I personally didnt use these product, my daugter slept propt up in the boppy for the first week, then just in the cradle, but as many ppl that I know that use this product, plus the rave I hear about it… it doesnt really seem like there has been that many incidents compared the the amount of ppl that use it
I just went on their website and as of now they have gone out of business due to the costs of the lawsuit. there is a letter from the founder. That is sad because they were not given an opportunity to fight the battle properly and keep their product on the shelves. I have read such great reviews about it that i was hoping i could find one for my LO but doesnt seem like it will happen.
I have one and love it! My 2 1/2 month old daughter sleeps so sound in it! I keep my baby strapped in and make sure to always keep an eye on her. I have never used it anywhere other than the floor. When she gets more mobile, she will not be using the Nap Nanny Chill any longer. I agree with what is being said by others. It is a shame that consumer misuse is leading to the demise of this company. I would like to know what exactly it was that caused this death.
Wow, that is really sad that because of poor parenting a company has gone out of business. this is what is wrong with the world. Parents need to parent and use good judgement. The label is very clear in how to use the product and what is not safe. That’s just insane!
Dear mothers who file lawsuits like this. Read the warning labels and follow the instructions. Sadly, what happen is something you did. If you followed everything they said and something still happened then okay.
I LOVE my nap nanny, and am very disappointed the company was forced to close down. Parents argued the straps were too difficult to adjust so they chose not to use them, when they were designed to not slide to be too loose with the child in it. One child died because they suffocated because they were using the product without the cover on it. This makes me mad that parents aren’t able to follow the simplest instructions or become too complacent; you NEVER know, and always keep an eye on your child.
I for one love the nap nanny! It was and still is my favorite baby item so much so that i bought 2! Instructions are meant to be followed and I think the creator and the company should be proud in creating the next best thing since sliced bread. I want to personally thank them for this wonderful product and to express my support for them and my hopes that this will resolve in their favor so that other instruction following families can benefit as we have. Hang in there!