Boppy baby pillow deaths – the Boppy Lounger Recall

Last summer, reports emerged of deaths of babies using the Boppy pillow (a/k/a the Boppy baby pillow, the Boppy lounger). News reports escalated the death tally from 10 to nearly 200. The Boppy company recalled the Boppy pillow. Reports of lawsuits then followed the Boppy lounger recall.

If it is like other baby products we have covered, it is likely the danger remains on the market. Not everyone watches main stream media or hears of recalls. Thus, some families may still use this potential dangerous product because they did not learn about the Boppy lounger recall. 

What is the Boppy Pillow?

The Boppy pillow is a nursing pillow. The specific product names are: Boppy Original Newborn Loungers; Boppy Preferred Newborn Loungers; and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Loungers. Here’s what they look like per the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Boppy Pillow recall notice:

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  Recalled Boppy Original Newborn Lounger (left), Boppy Preferred Newborn Lounger (middle), and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Lounger (right)

The company sold Boppy loungers in several colors and print styles. They are about 23 inches long by 22 inches wide and 7 inches high.

Where did Boppy Sell the Boppy Lounger?

Boppy sold about 3.3 million Boppy loungers that came within the recall. The Boppy Company sold the recalled loungers at juvenile product stores and mass merchandisers across the U.S., and in Canada as well as online. Retailers included Pottery Barn Kids, Target, Walmart, and Amazon.com. The Boppy loungers sold between January 2004 and September 2021, though the recall happened years later.

What is the Boppy Lounger Recall?

Boppy recalled over 3 million Boppy Original Newborn Loungers, Boppy Preferred Newborn Loungers and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Loungers in 2021. The U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission described the hazard as follows: “Infants can suffocate if they roll, move, or are placed on the lounger in a position that obstructs breathing, or roll off the lounger onto an external surface, such as an adult pillow or soft bedding that obstructs breathing.” At the time of the recall, there were eight reports of infant deaths associated with the Boppy Company Newborn Lounger and this hazard. Thus, the Boppy lounger recall concerns this event.

What Risks Does the Boppy Lounger Present? How is the Boppy Pillow Dangerous?

As CPSC explained in the Boppy lounger recall, “Infants can suffocate if they roll, move, or are placed on the [Boppy] lounger in a position that obstructs breathing, or roll off the lounger onto an external surface, such as an adult pillow or soft bedding that obstructs breathing.” So the Boppy lounger can be dangerous in two ways. First, the design can cause suffocation because it can obstruct infants’ breathing in certain positions or with particular uses. Second, it allows babies to roll off, which can lead to suffocation as well if the baby lands in a way that blocks the child’s ability to breathe.

Suffocation Does Not Always Lead to Death

The Boppy lounger recall does not only concern the risk of death. When we can’t breathe, several things happen. The body starts to shut down. Too much time without oxygen flowing to the brain can obviously lead to death. It can also cause other serious injuries. KBA Attorneys are particularly sensitive to one such injury – brain injuries. Hypoxia can cause serious brain injuries including cerebral palsy. Our attorneys have litigated and tried birth injury and other brain injury cases.

Hence, Boppy lounger failures do not just cause death. They may cause brain injuries. Some infants couldn’t breathe for some time, but the parents found them and saved them before they suffocated to death. Those babies’ lives may be forever impacted. This is why we continue to write about the Boppy lounger recall; some families may just be waking up to the consequences of the Boppy lounger failure revealed in the Boppy lounger recall.

How Might Brain Injuries from the Boppy Lounger or other Products or Events Present? What are Symptoms of a Brain Injury?

Children suffering a brain injury can present in many ways. Speech and motor delays are one symptom potentially indicative of a brain injury. Sudden, dramatic changes in behavior can be another symptom of a brain injury. A lively, outgoing baby who suddenly goes quiet and withdrawn is an example. Cognitive changes – dizziness, memory loss, confusion – are additional symptoms of a potential brain injury. Seizures are a final example of symptoms from a brain injury. See more here:   https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6025-cerebral-hypoxia

Wrongful Death and Brain Injury Lawyers for your Boppy Lounger Recall Matter

When someone you love is killed by a product, a vehicular collision, workplace incident, fall, or someone else’s negligence in some way, you will face daunting decisions. One of them is to pursue justice in the fallen’s name. This is a sensitive decision that requires careful consideration and thoughtful analysis of various factors.

Similarly, brain injuries present difficult decisions for families waking up to very different lives. Brain injuries are persistent, can be sporadic, and are life-changing. Many impacts take time to see and appreciate. A family changed by death or brain injuries can have decades of struggle ahead of them.

Attorneys who handle these cases must have a special blend of client devotion and legal diligence. Millions of dollars can be at stake and companies fight hard against such claims. The family’s lost income must be considered. A lifetime of medical expenses requires careful workup. Insurance and other interested issues like estate planning and probate come into play.

You need an experienced team that can prove liability, establish comprehensive and thorough damages, and provide a holistic, 360 perspective to your specific families situation. It’s not enough to be great lawyers – you have to be great professionals in a broader sense. KBA’s Attorneys have done this work for years. They maintain relationships with client families long after the case concludes because they don’t just resolve cases, they change lives.

These 3Es – experience, subject matter expertise, and empathy – come with every KBA matter, including the Boppy lounger recall case.

What happens if you had a Boppy Lounger and lost someone?

You have to deal with the loss first and foremost. Many people go through a grieving process, but it is different for each of us. Arrangements need to be made and family supported. Document expenses and process feelings.

Explore your legal rights. Not every tragedy is a lawsuit. Not every mistake is actionable. Rely on experienced professionals like KBA to help explore your options. An evaluation is free and can help provide closure. So contact KBA today if the Boppy lounger recall took your loved one or you suffered a loss or brain injury.