On August 15, 2022, Pennsylvania baby product manufacturer 4moms announced a recall of over 2 million MamaRoo swings and RockaRoo rockers. The company issued the recall after a 10-month-old infant died after getting entangled in the swing’s strap, and another infant suffered bruising to the neck.
4moms Recalls Products Nationwide
4moms, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, designs a variety of baby products, including rockets, swings, playards, bassinets, and tubs. The company, owned by Thorley Industries, has produced technology-focused baby gear since 2005 and describes on its website its mission statement to “develop dramatically better juvenile products and build a better community.” However, on August 15, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that 4moms initiated a recall of 2 million MamaRoo swings and 220,000 RockaRoo rockers.
Major retailers such as Amazon, Target, and BuyBuy Baby sold the swings and rockers nationwide from between $160 to $250.
About the 4moms Recalled Products
The MamaRoo swing mimics the swaying and rocking motions of real-life caretakers. Equipped with smart control technology, parents can choose from five motions, five-speed settings, and four sounds to soothe their baby. According to the CPSC, this recall only applies to MamaRoo models that use a 3-point harness: versions 1.0 and 2.0 (model number 4M-005), version 3.0 (model number 1026), and version 4.0 (model number 1037). The recall does not include the MamaRoo model designed with a 5-point harness.
The RockaRoo rocker is a compact automatic baby rocker with 5-speed options. A knob at the rocker’s base controls the range at which the rocker glides back and forth while babies entertain themselves with the featured toy mobile. The RockaRoo rocker affected by the 4moms recall is model number 4M-012, and consumers can identify this number on the bottom of the unit.
Risk of Asphyxiation with MamaRoo Swings and RockaRoo Rockers
The MamaRoo swing and Rockaroo rocker come with restraint straps to ensure infants remain safely in the devices while in motion. However, when the swing or rocker is not in use, the restraint straps may dangle below the seat, and infants crawling along the floor may become entangled in the straps. 4moms received two strangulation reports, one of a 10-month-old infant who died from asphyxiation after getting caught in the straps of the MamaRoo swing, and the other report involved another 10-month-old infant who experienced bruising to the neck before a caretaker rescued them. Both incidents involved the MamaRoo swing. 4moms has not received any reports regarding the Rockaroo rocker at this time.
“Consumers with infants who can crawl should immediately stop using the recalled swings and rockers, place them in an area where crawling infants cannot access, and contact us via phone or online to receive a free strap fastener that will prevent the straps from extending under the swing when not in use,” 4moms advised in its statement Monday.