Amazon and Target just banned the sale of weighted baby sleep sacks and swaddles

When you’re kept awake night after night by a fussy baby, it’s tempting to buy any product that promises to help soothe your little one to sleep. For years, weighted swaddles and sleep sacks have landed on parents’ registries and middle-of-the-night orders for exactly this reason. But now Amazon, Target, and Babylist are pulling this weighted sleepwear from their sites — nearly a year after the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) called for a ban on these potentially dangerous baby products.

Last June, the AAP highlighted safety concerns, stating that there isn’t enough research to prove that these products work — or that they can keep sleeping babies safe. It urgedOpens a new window regulators to “avoid a repeat” of the infant deaths associated with inclined sleepers and other unsafe sleep products.

In response, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) asked parents not to use weighted sleep sacksOpens a new window and swaddles. The Centers for Disease Control and PreventionOpens a new window (CDC) and the National Institutes of HealthOpens a new window (NIH) also told caregivers to avoid them. 

Despite those warnings, many major retailers continued to sell these weighted products — until now. This month, Amazon sent a letter to parents who purchased these items alerting them that they are not safe and updated its seller guidanceOpens a new window.”

“In the interest of safety, we informed selling partners on April 9, 2024, that Amazon will no longer allow the sale of weighted infant sleep products in the Amazon store,” an Amazon spokesperson told What to Expect. “We work hard to ensure the products offered in our store are safe, and we have teams dedicated to developing and updating our policies, evaluating listings, and continuously monitoring our store to prevent unsafe and noncompliant products from being listed.”

Target and Babylist also told Consumer ReportsOpens a new window that they would pull weighted sleep sacks and swaddles from their stores and websites.

If you’ve considered buying or registering for a weighted sleep product — or you already own one — you might wonder what you need to do next. Here’s what pediatricians want you to know so you can keep your baby safe. 

What are weighted sleep sacks and swaddles? 

There is no definition from the AAP or CPSC on what officially constitutes a weighted sleep sack or swaddle, but these types of products often contain sewn-in beads or weights that apply gentle pressure on a baby’s body. Brands like Dreamland BabyOpens a new window and Sunshine BillingualOpens a new window say that their weighted products help babies fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. 

Small studiesOpens a new window indicate that weighted blankets may help adults and older children sleep better, but there is no data to support their use in babies.

Why are weighted sleep products dangerous?

Weighted sleep products are dangerous because — unlike regular sleep sacks and swaddles — there is no evidence to prove that they’re safe or that they help babies sleep better, according to the AAP.

The organization also hypothesizesOpens a new window that these products may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

“The main concern is that weighted sleep sacks could increase the risk of suffocation or overheating for infants,” says Daniel Ganjian, M.D.Opens a new window, F.A.A.P., a board-certified pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “Babies need to be able to freely move their arms and legs and roll over if needed.” (This is why pediatricians recommend that you stop swaddling babies once they attempt to roll over, which can happen when they’re around 2 months old.)

Weighted sleep products “restrict movement, and babies naturally move during sleep,” says Danelle Fisher, M.D.Opens a new window, chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. “They can prevent the infant from rolling over, but rolling over is a natural and important movement for blood flow to muscles,” she adds.

What to do if you own a weighted sleep sack or swaddle

“If you own a weighted sleep sack, the safest option is to stop using it,” Dr. Ganjian says. 

You can try returning yours if you bought it on Amazon; check your inbox. Parents who have previously purchased weighted infant sleep sacks have received emails from Amazon stating that these products are not safe and shouldn’t be used in children under age 3. While Amazon isn’t offering refunds, it will accept product returns.