Champaign County Coroner
Laurie Brauer
Child Safety Information
Q. Why are weighted swaddles or blankets NOT recommended for babies?
A. In 2023, the AAP submitted a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission warning against home use of weighted blankets and swaddles for infants due to insufficient evidence of overall safety. Considering what is known about infant health, SIDS, and sleep-related deaths, there is a high potential for harm from using these items. It's important for all parents and caregivers to take into account the following factors:
Weighted swaddles and blankets fall into a relatively new product category, lacking specific safety standards for infants beyond general rules for children's products (e.g., lead content, fire safety). Furthermore, there are no studies examining the use of these products and the associated risk of sleep-related deaths.
If an infant rolls over during sleep, the additional weight could impede their ability to roll back onto their back, posing a higher risk, especially since stomach sleeping is strongly linked to SIDS. This risk is elevated for infants accustomed to sleeping on their backs but are placed or roll onto their stomachs while swaddled.
Due to the absence of safety regulations, these products may be constructed with heavy or thick materials, increasing the risk of overheating. Overheating, whether from excessive clothing, blankets, or high room temperature, is associated with an elevated risk of SIDS.
A lack of evidence about the possible harms of using weighted products in the home is not evidence of their safety.
For more information, refer to the Safe to Sleep® FAQ on weighted blankets on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webpage, Helping Babies Sleep Safely.