SINGAPORE - People who own infant swings and rockers by American baby-gear company 4moms should get a strap fastener installed to reduce their babies' risk of strangulation.
Local distributor Bloom & Grow Singapore told The Straits Times on Tuesday (Aug 16) that parents who own MamaRoo swings and RockaRoo rockers should approach them to get the fastener.
The announcement comes after two separate incidents in the United States, and following a recall of more than two million infant swings and rockers in the US for repairs.
A 10-month-old infant who got caught in a MamaRoo swing strap had died from asphyxiation, while another 10-month-old suffered bruising to his neck but was rescued by a caregiver.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Monday that restraint straps on these swings and rockers, which can dangle below the seats while not in use, create the risk of crawling infants getting strangled by them.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for Bloom & Grow Singapore said the two incidents had occurred when the MamaRoo swing was not in use and its straps had been extended well beyond the underside of the seat.
In these circumstances, crawling infants - outside of the maximum age and mobility recommendation for using the MamaRoo - had become entangled in the dangling straps, she added.
Bloom & Grow has not received any reports of similar incidents in Singapore, she said.
The seat fastener developed by 4moms would be installed on the underside of the seat.
The spokesman said it would eliminate any potential hazard to a crawling infant by preventing the straps on these products from dangling under the seat when a baby is not in it.
Said the spokesman: "It is important to note that all parents should supervise their children in and around the MamaRoo and RockaRoo at all times - that is why 4moms underscores this point in their critical safety instructions for these products.
"4moms encourages parents to keep the MamaRoo or RockaRoo away from crawling infants until the strap fastener is installed, and to place the product out of reach of infants while it is not in use unless a strap fastener is installed."
The 4moms products affected by the recall are the MamaRoo swing (models 4M-005, 1026, and 1037) and the RockaRoo Rocker (model number 4M-012).
Parents who own these products can request for a free strap fastener from baona.gan@bloomandgrowgroup.com.
Both MamaRoo swings and Rockaroo rockers are sold by at least six retailers in Singapore and on online platforms including Lazada and Shopee.
Bloom & Grow Singapore, which started distributing products for 4moms in 2019, has sold about 550 MamaRoos and 150 RockaRoos in Singapore.
Ms Denise Tay, who used an affected MamaRoo swing for her baby son last year, said she has never allowed its straps to dangle.
The 33-year-old digital content creator said: "I feel that care should still be taken for any baby product that is deemed baby-safe because anything can endanger a baby's life.
"A rocker that does not move on its own will also endanger a child if not monitored closely. This could be from falling off the rocker at a weird angle," the mother of two added.
The Consumer Product Safety Office, which is under Enterprise Singapore, told ST that it was notified by 4moms about the recall and is working with the company to ensure that customers in Singapore are aware of the steps they can take.
It added that it has not received any complaints related to the affected MamaRoos and RockaRoos.
