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Safety alert: Avoid baby self-feeding pillows due to choking and pneumonia risk
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued a product safety alert for so-called ‘self-feeding pillows’ as they present a choking and pneumonia risk.
It states that businesses and consumers should stop using them immediately.
Read on to find out what the issues are.
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What is a baby self-feeding pillow?
A self-feeding pillow is essentially a bottle holder intended to free up a parent’s hands when bottle-feeding a baby.
The pillow is placed around the baby, with the bottle held in place via a pouch or piece of elastic to prevent it falling out of the baby’s mouth. The concept of this product is in direct contrast to safe baby feeding advice, which you can see below.
They aren’t widely available to buy in mainstream retailers in the UK, but we have found several retailers selling these products that ship to the UK, as well as listings on online marketplaces and some Instagram-based sellers.
We'll be approaching these websites and sellers to flag that they should no longer be stocking these items for sale.
What are the dangers of baby self-feeding pillows?
Leaving a baby to feed unattended is a danger in itself, but these pillows present extra dangers due to their specific design. The dangers are twofold, according to the OPSS.
The first is that the baby can choke on the milk if the flow of the bottle is too fast, as babies do not have the ability to control the flow of the liquid, know when to stop feeding or take action if they gag or choke. As the bottle is fixed to the cushion so that it remains in an active feeding position, the baby may struggle to remove the teat from their mouth when they want to stop feeding, leading to choking.
Choking is characterised by silence, rather than audible gagging, so given the product is intended to allow a baby to be fed while the parent is not paying full attention, this danger is significant.
The second danger is related to the first, and it is that the baby becomes infected with pneumonia because they have breathed in milk. Instead of choking, the milk is breathed in and the presence of it in the lungs can cause aspiration pneumonia.
As the product is intended to keep the bottle in the baby’s mouth, there is no way to safely use this product to avoid such an event occurring.
The OPSS said:
'The risks from choking and aspiration pneumonia are entirely related to the design and intended use of the product – these risks cannot be mitigated by instructions.'
What should you do if you own a baby self-feeding pillow?
Stop using it and dispose of it. As there is no way to use this type of product safety, it should not be used at all.
Any businesses that stock these products should remove them from sale under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.
In addition, the OPSS has advised local trading standards bodies to be on the lookout for such products for sale and take ‘appropriate action’ against businesses stocking them.
How to bottle-feed your baby safely
The NHS states that you should not leave your baby alone with a propped-up bottle due to the risk of choking.
Instead, babies should be held in a semi-upright position, with their head supported so they can breathe and swallow comfortably.
The bottle should be kept horizontal and you should follow your baby’s lead as to when they want to stop feeding. Your baby may also take short breaks, including for winding.
Read more advice on bottle feeding on the NHS website.
