Today, the Consumer Product Safety Commission approved a final rule establishing a safety standard for nursing pillows. I want to thank the staff for all of their hard work in putting together this important rule. This is a strong standard that will save lives.

I find it fitting that we are finalizing this rule during Baby Safety Month – a time when we focus attention on providing a safe start for all babies. Today’s rule is an important step forward in this ongoing effort.

Our work in this space is guided by a simple principle: Products made for infants should be as safe as possible for use by infants. We recognize that nursing pillows can be useful for caregivers when they breast or bottle feed infants. But our data also tell us that these same pillows are hazardous to babies if they are used as loungers; if they are placed in cribs or beds; or if babies fall asleep in them.

Today’s rule will ensure that nursing pillows remain useful for feeding, while reducing these known safety risks. I appreciate that there was a lot of hesitation and concern when we started this rule. I hope that the parents and caregivers who wrote to us see that this rule is – and always was – about making nursing pillows safer and protecting babies.

I want to acknowledge the significant work that was done by the ASTM subcommittee on feeding supports this year. And I want to recognize the tremendous work of the CPSC staff who were working two processes simultaneously. Our staff’s diligence and commitment are evident in the strength of the rule that we moved on today.

CPSC’s rule establishes a strong safety net, and I am proud to finalize this standard. But as we move forward, I encourage stakeholders to build upon the standard in the ASTM’s voluntary process and continue to look for ways to improve the safety of nursing pillows. We can always revisit incorporating an updated voluntary safety standard in the future.

*The views expressed in this statement are solely the views of Chair Hoehn-Saric and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission.