ACCC issues safety warning over baby bottle self-feeding devices and children’s car seat head straps

Two baby products that could cause severe injuries and even death are in the sights of the ACCC, with the regulator issuing a safety warning notice over their use.

Baby bottle self-feeding devices and children’s car seat head straps have both caused fatalities overseas and the ACCC says consumers should stop using them immediately.

It is investigating the safety of both products to determine “if they will or may cause injury to any person, and the extent to which regulatory action is needed to prevent their supply or mitigate safety risks.”

ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said: “Aftermarket children’s car seat head straps are marketed as a support for sleeping children, but the safety warning notice issued about these products warns about the possible risk that in motor vehicle accidents they may cause severe head, neck, and spinal cord injuries.”

“Baby bottle self-feeding devices are designed to position bottles so liquid can flow into infants’ mouths without the assistance of a caregiver, which the safety warning notice warns may increase the possible risk of suffocation, aspiration pneumonia, choking or ear infection. This is because babies are unable to regulate the flow of liquid,” Ms Lowe said.

Neither device has been directly linked to injuries or deaths in Australia, however, there have been reports of deaths elsewhere.

“Protecting vulnerable young children and strengthening product safety online are priorities for the ACCC,” Ms Lowe said.

Aftermarket children’s car seat head straps usually feature a forehead strap that attaches to the top of a car seat

Concerns have been raised that they could alter the alignment of a child’s head, neck, and spine while the torso moves forward during a crash, increasing the risk of spinal cord injuries and death. There is also a possible risk of suffocation or strangulation if the head strap slips around a child’s mouth or neck.

In 2021, in the UK an eight-month-old reportedly suffocated and died when a head strap was used.

Baby bottle self-feeding products include self-feeding pillows or “anti-spitting pillows” and hands-free baby bottle holders which generally attach to bibs, prams, or cots. They

Both types could cause a baby to choke and were banned in Canada and Ireland in 2022 and the UK has issued product safety alerts.

There have been four deaths associated with self-feeding products, three in the US and one in the UK where a four-month-old was left to feed unsupervised in a car seat with a bottle propped using a blanket.

There are currently no mandatory product safety or information standards that apply to these products in Australia.