The regulation seeks to reduce the risk of death and injury from hazards associated with nursing pillows. More specifically, the rule is designed to reduce the risk of suffocation by preventing nursing pillow surfaces from conforming to an infant’s face, and to create a safer nursing pillow marketplace that discourages consumers from using these products for purposes beyond active nursing and feeding, such as infant propping, lounging, and sleep-related activities. Using nursing pillows for propping, lounging, and sleeping poses great risk of harm to infants and should be avoided for these types of products.
The regulation was originally published at 89 FR 85388 and codified at 16 C.F.R. part 1242.
More information is available on our nursing pillows business guidance page.
A nursing pillow is defined as a product intended, marketed, or designed to position and support an infant close to a caregiver’s body while breastfeeding or bottle feeding, including any removable covers, or slipcovers, sold on or together with such a product. These products rest upon, wrap around, or are worn by a caregiver in a seated or reclined position.
The regulation excludes maternity pillows (aka pregnancy pillows) defined as a large body pillow intended, marketed, and designed to provide support to a pregnant adult’s body during sleep or while lying down; sling carriers as defined at 16 C.F.R part 1228; and soft infant and toddler carriers as defined at 16 C.F.R part 1226.
Please note, the nursing pillows rule does not affect or amend the existing infant pillow ban. As such, certain infant pillows are still considered banned hazardous substances per 16 CFR § 1500.18(a)(16).
In addition, infant support cushions – defined as an infant product filled with or comprised of resilient material which is marketed, designed, or intended to support an infant’s weight or any portion of an infant while reclining or in a supine, prone, or recumbent position (includes removable covers or slipcovers sold on or together with an infant support cushion) – must comply with 16 CFR part 1243; more information is available on our infant support cushions business guidance page.
The requirements for nursing pillows are as follows:
- General requirements
- Lead in paint – see also our lead in paint business guidance page
- Small parts – see also our small parts business guidance page
- Hazardous sharp edges or points – see also 16 C.F.R. §§ 1500.3(b)(4)(i)(D) and 1500.3(b)(15)(i)(A)
- Removable of components
- Permanency of labels and warnings
- Performance requirements
- Firmness
- The force to displace the pillow 1 inch using the 3-inch diameter head probe must exceed 10.0 N
- Infant containment
- A 9-inch head probe must extend beyond the opening of the product, and the outer half of the probe cannot contact inner wall of the opening (see visual examples below)
- A 9-inch head probe must extend beyond the opening of the product, and the outer half of the probe cannot contact inner wall of the opening (see visual examples below)
- Infant restraints
- Nursing pillows are prohibited from having restraints
- Seam strength
- Seams must withstand 15 lb. of force applied evenly over 5 seconds and maintained for an additional 10 seconds
- Caregiver attachment strength
- The portions of the nursing pillow intended to secure the product to the caregiver during use (e.g., buckled belt, strap, etc.) must bear 20 lb. of force applied evenly over 5 seconds and maintained for an additional 10 seconds
- Firmness
ASTM F3669 has a similar definition for nursing pillows but does not explicitly address slipcovers. CPSC is aware of three infant fatalities associated with slipcovers.
See section IV of the Federal Register notice for a detailed discussion of ASTM F3669.
Yes. See image below from 16 C.F.R. § 1242(g)(4):
Yes. There are general requirements for children’s products and durable infant or toddler products that apply:
- Small parts: Products intended for children under 3 years of age must not contain small parts or liberate small parts after use and abuse testing.
- Lead in paint and similar surface coatings: Children’s products must not bear paint and/or similar surface coatings that contain more than 0.009 percent (90 ppm) lead.
- Total lead content: Children’s products must not contain greater than 100 ppm (0.01 percent) of total lead content in any accessible component part.
- Third-party testing: Children’s products must be tested for compliance with applicable safety rules by a third-party, CPSC-accepted laboratory.
- Certification: Domestic manufacturers or importers of children’s products must generate a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) certifying compliance to the applicable safety rules and ensures that a CPC accompanies the distribution of the product.
- Labeling: Children’s products must bear distinguishing, permanent marks on the product and any packaging (tracking label) that allow consumers to ascertain certain information. Durable infant or toddler products are required to have product markings in addition to the tracking label. This chart summarizes the specific labeling and registration requirements that durable infant and toddler products must meet.
- Registration form: Durable infant or toddler products must have a product registration form (also known as registration card) permanently attached to the product. There must also be an option to register via a website or, in the absence of a website, via email.