Companies that make weighted baby pajamas say their products are safe and help babies sleep, but a growing number of medical experts, safe sleep advocates and government regulators are warning that these pajamas can be dangerous.
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A group of federal lawmakers wants to ban weighted pajamas for infants over concerns the garments could harm young babies, with federal data showing at least five infant deaths linked to the product.
Companies that make weighted pajamas for newborns and infants say their products are safe and can help tired parents put their toddlers to sleep peacefully.
But a growing number of medical experts, safe sleep advocates and government regulators are urging caregivers to avoid using these items, arguing that there is no evidence that weighted baby pajamas are safe and that in fact they may impede a young baby’s breathing, Pump blood and move freely.
“It is important to allow infant sleeping bags and swaddles to remain on the market without evidence that they are safe,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, said in a statement. The risk is too great.
The Protecting Infants from Hazardous Sleep Act introduced in the Senate and House of Representatives would prohibit the use of wearable blankets, sleeping bags and swaddles for children 1 and younger “for purposes other than insulation or decoration.”
“In today’s world, many consumers believe that products sold must be safe, especially baby products. However, this is not always the case,” said Michelle Barry, founder and president of the nonprofit Safe Baby Sleep, in a said in a statement. “This legislation is a critical step toward protecting our youngest and most precious citizens.”
Manasi Gangan, chief executive of Nested Bean, which makes and sells weighted baby pajamas, criticized the proposed legislation as “anti-science” and said she opposed it.
“The bill introduced by Senator Blumenthal and Congressman Cardenas increases unreasonable government overreach without any data and is not in the public’s best interest,” Gangan told the American Public the radio station said in an email. Rep. Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif., is the sponsor of the bill.
Gangan, who has called for product standards for weighted baby pajamas in the past, noted that Nested Bean has sold more than 2.5 million units since 2011.
“While our business has suffered due to the reckless rhetoric of government officials, our customers – each of them a loving parent, grandparent or caregiver – stand with us,” she added.
Dreamland Baby, another leading maker of weighted infant pajamas, did not immediately respond to NPR’s request for comment.
Consumer Product Safety Commission spokesperson Patty Davis said the agency is aware of five deaths related to sleep-enhancing products for infants. “Due to the ongoing investigation into these incidents, we are unable to provide additional details,” Davis said.
But data released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shows that between 2022 and 2024, five deaths were related to weighted baby pajamas.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all expressed concern about the potential dangers of weighted infant pajamas.
Additionally, some major retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Target, have recently removed these products from their stores.
A group of safe sleep advocates, industry leaders and Consumer Product Safety Commission officials are also working on potential voluntary standards for infant sleep products, which could include weighted clothing.
