Baby self feeding pillows
Why are baby self-feeding pillows dangerous?
Baby self-feeding pillows are designed to hold a bottle in a baby’s mouth and free up the parent’s hands, allowing the baby to feed itself. These products are dangerous and go against HSE safe bottle-feeding advice. When used as intended, they create a risk of serious harm or death from choking and aspiration pneumonia.
What are the main safety risks of baby self-feeding pillows?
- Choking: Babies cannot control the flow of milk from a bottle held by a self-feeding pillow. Milk may continue to flow even if the baby is not swallowing, leading to a risk of silent choking. Babies do not have the ability to raise the alarm if they are choking.
- Aspiration pneumonia: If milk flows too quickly and the baby cannot swallow fast enough, milk can enter the lungs instead of the stomach, causing aspiration pneumonia.
What should you do if you have a baby self-feeding pillow?
Do not buy self-feeding pillows. If you have one in your home, stop using it immediately and dispose of it safely so it cannot be used by anyone else.
What is the official advice for safe bottle-feeding?
According to the HSE, when bottle-feeding a baby, a caregiver should:
- Always hold the baby in their arms during feeding
- Always hold the bottle in their hand
- Never lean or prop the bottle against a self-feeding pillow or any other support
- Never leave the baby to drink a bottle on their own
For more information, see HSE safe bottle-feeding advice.
Why are self-feeding pillows not safe under Irish law?
Self-feeding pillows are regulated under S.I. No. 199/2004 – European Communities (General Product Safety) Regulations 2004, which requires all products to be safe. Because self-feeding pillows create a risk of choking and aspiration, they do not meet these safety requirements and must not be sold in Ireland.
If you see a baby self-feeding pillow for sale, you should report it to the CCPC via our report an issue form.
