SAFETY

Data supports the fact that breastfeeding and infant support products are safe and immensely beneficial when used as directed — for supervised awake time only. Yet somehow, they are still under threat despite the unintended consequences of limiting their availability.

Consider this:

Nursing pillows are proven to increase breastfeeding rates. Breastfeeding helps reduce the incidence of SIDS. Without infant feeding and support products designed specifically to support infants, fewer moms may breastfeed infants. Even more concerning, breastfeeding mothers and caregivers are likely to turn to more dangerous options such as traditional pillows and blankets for support at they feed their babies.

Studies and data show the use of breastfeeding and infant support products, lovingly called nursing pillows, increases breastfeeding rates, which in turn correlates with a positive trend in health data and milestone achievement.

For example, we know that breastfeeding correlates with positive health outcomes for children. CDC data shows that breastfeeding helps reduce risks of:

  • Asthma and severe lower respiratory disease;

  • Obesity;

  • Type 1 diabetes;

  • Ear infections;

  • GI infections; and

  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Breastfeeding doesn’t always come naturally – and keeping up with it isn’t easy.

This is another reason why breastfeeding and infant support products are so critically important. A study published in Pediatric Reports found nursing pillows are providing important support for mothers trying to breastfeed:

“The use of a breastfeeding pillow significantly decreases maternal discomfort experienced during the breastfeeding process. Maternal comfort is expected to enhance the quality of breastfeeding by improving the position and attachment of the mother-baby during the breastfeeding process, increasing the baby’s sucking ability and the period of baby’s breastfeeding to ensure optimal nutrition or improve the baby’s suckling needs. A comfortable and relaxed condition can also suppress the release of stress hormones and increase the hormones that play a role in breast milk production. Thus, it is important to implement the use of a breastfeeding pillow among postpartum mothers.”

There are many others with similar findings, which have led many leading authoritative organizations to cite pillows are a useful tool to support breastfeeding mothers. Among them are the American Academy of Pediatrics, La Leche League and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program.

The best solution combines a product safety standard with continued consumer education about infant safety and development.

The CSPC allow the ASTM to establish a safety standard for breastfeeding and infant development support products before taking regulatory action.

The standard currently being developed by a special committee of the ASTM is intended to ensure that products in the nursing pillow category are safe when used as intended – across all critical uses that support healthy infant development – from feeding, to propping, to sitting, to tummy time.

Many of our members are directly involved in this process to ensure that the ASTM committee develops a standard that is backed by data and rooted in science. The Alliance calls on the CPSC to support the development of a voluntary standard for breastfeeding and infant support products by providing relevant data and research in a timely fashion.

In the meantime, consumer education and engagement are essential.

The Alliance welcomes conversations with the CPSC to collaborate on education initiatives for parents and caregivers. We welcome the CPSC’s leadership to help increase awareness around critical guidelines, including those listed below. Ignoring them can have irreversible consequences.

We ask parents and caregivers always:

  • Read all instructions to ensure safe product use.

  • Use infant products ONLY for supervised awake time.

  • NEVER use nursing pillows or any other infant feeding or development support product for sleep.

  • Follow safety guidance offered in the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Safe Sleep Guidelines and the CPSC’s Bare is Best campaign.

  • Ask every caregiver you know to do the same.

Get Involved

If you are interested in joining the Alliance or supporting our efforts to protect nursing and infant development support products, including those lovingly called nursing pillows, please contact us.