Amby Hammock Recall...

[Beach Mama]

Reading and lurking and I know that lots of people use these. I have one that I lent to a friend and have since told her about the recall, which is in cooperation with Amby. If you go directly to their website there is some more info there about a repair kit. They are not selling any new hammocks at this time. Not sure how or what the repair kit will involve but possibly a way that will attatch the mattress more securely to the base? I used one from 2 weeks to 5 mths with J - scary. Mods feel free to move this - not sure of the best place for it so that people who use them will see this. Fanks.

Infant Suffocation Deaths Prompt Recall of Amby Baby Motion Beds/Hammocks

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Amby Baby Motion Beds

Units: About 24,000

Manufacturer: Amby Baby USA, of Minneapolis, Minn.

Hazard: The side-to-side shifting or tilting of the hammock can cause the infant to roll and become entrapped or wedged against the hammock's fabric and/or mattress pad, resulting in a suffocation hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Amby Baby is aware of two infant suffocation deaths in the Amby Baby hammock. In June 2009, a 4-month-old girl in Lawrenceville, Ga. died in a baby hammock and in August 2009, a 5-month-old boy from Gresham, Ore.

Description: The Amby Baby Motion Bed consists of a steel frame and a fabric hammock which are connected by a large spring and metal crossbar. There is only one model of the hammock available which can be identified by a label sewn onto the hammock stating: "Amby - Babies Love It, Naturally."

Sold online at: Ambybaby.com and other Internet retailers from January 2003 through October 2009 for about $250.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the Amby Baby motion beds/hammocks and contact Amby Baby USA for a free repair kit. Parents and caregivers are urged to find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Amby Baby USA toll-free at (866) 544-9721 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting

Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 544-9721
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908


SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission[/QUOTE]

[Heaven]

Oh scary!! Thanks Tan. Good to 'see' you

[Hummingbird]

Thanks Tanstar,

I will have to do some research on this, I am picking up a beautiful hammock tomorrow from a friend to borrow for our yet to arrive bub! Not sure what the brand is though. Now I am wondering whether we should borrow it even if it's not an Amby....

Ekkk!!

[briggsy's girl]

there is nothing about this on the AU site but there is on the US one - i have emailed the AU site for information as to what is to happen with Australian hammocks.

[Beach Mama]

Amby Baby is the parent company, and is US based as is the recall however I felt that it was important that people are aware of the recall even though it is through the US consumer commission. The AU site is basically an offshoot of the US one with contacts here, I will be interested to see what they say.
If I was still using one for J now I would stop using it even though there is nothing on the AU site yet.

[Taurean]

That is so scary!!! We bought a Hushamok Hammock 4 weeks ago for DD to help with her silent reflux and day sleeps. It's been amazing but I did wonder after a couple of days if it could become a suffocation risk when they turn their head to the side as the mattress kind of curls up around them, IYKWIM

I'm a bit scared to use it now!

[Visitor8]

was about to say that. If it's a problem with AUS amby's you would think they would recall them here. Maybe it's a US only thing?

[Beach Mama]

If there have been no reported cases of problems here, then the Australian commission may not recall them but having said that the parent company is no longer selling them so why would the Australian ones be able to be sold under the same name? Not sure how it works - at the end of the day bubs have died from using them whether they are here or there.

I absolutely LOVED ours as well - helped his reflux and he went from only sleeping on us to sleeping beautifully in it. I recommended it to my BIL and SIL as well who bought one in Canada and my BIL was the one who alerted me to the recall. Will see what happens here I guess but I felt strongly enough to want to post about it even though I'm not technically "here" anymore. As J got older I did feel that it could be a problem as I would find him in weird positions that he had wriggled into. As I said though we used it for a long time and loved it.

[Spring Angel]

Hi Tan

Good to see you hun. Thanks for being so considerate and letting us know about the recall. Worth keeping an eye on that's for sure.

Hope you and your beautiful family are well.

Take care

Spring xx

[Arimeh]

Scary stuff

(and I miss you terribly Tan.. please come back!!)

[HotI]

Prior to this recall, i believe there were no reports of SIDS while using the amby hammock. Although the death of any child is horrible, i wonder if it can be proven to be due to using the hammock? I would like to know more about the patch kit that amby are introducing.

[melbel]

The parent company is actually the australian one......it is an australian hammock. The US ones are made here and just sold in the US by that distributer, even though they do have a much flasher website!

The recall is not due to a SIDS risk ......it is due to a suffocation issue where the baby has become stuck between the mattress and the hammock itself and not been able to get out. There are very strict instructions on the hammocks that you should discontinue use of them as soon as your child can roll.......All of the three children who died was a result of them rolling into the "side" or "back" of the hammock.......could happen with any hammock design....just gotta remember not to keep your baby in a hammock once they can roll or move freely like that......

[Visitor8]

i know so many parents who've used them past 5, 6, 7, 8 months

[aimz78]

Oh No!! I have so been looking forward to using mine with my next baby. My secret weapon!! Thanks so much for sharing this. Very scary. I will have to watch this with interest to see what happens here.

[Beach Mama]

The parent company is actually the australian one......it is an australian hammock. The US ones are made here and just sold in the US by that distributer, even though they do have a much flasher website!

Ah I always thought they were a US thing! You learn something new every day. One thing though, on the US site it says they are made in China, I wonder if the Australian ones are as well? I would think they would be all made in the same factory to the same standards worldwide. It will be definitely interesting to see what the response is from the Australian side.

ETA: Just found info that they have built a factory in Shanghai so they would all be the same.

In an endeavor to keep it that way, we have built our own factory to manufacture the Amby Baby Hammock exclusively. Amby Baby Hammock Shanghai Ltd is a new factory situated in Shanghai, one of China’s premier cities.

[Lolli]

i know so many parents who've used them past 5, 6, 7, 8 months

Yeah, from memory the brochure actually says it's safe to 'use for older babies' because of the large flap bit at the feet end, iykwim.

I am using one of these that i borrowed off a BB member (thanks again Sarah ). Tbh, this isn't going to deter me. Maybe when she is rolling, but not yet. It is saving my sanity. And to justify that (because I know it sounds terrible), it's something I only use for day sleeps, and we have it in our living area. I have a peek and check on her every 5-10 minutes anyway, as i walk past. I don't sleep her in it at night, because we co-sleep anyway.

But thank you very much for posting it Tan It is lovely to see you

[sweetpea678]

It is sad that there have been problems with the hammock.

I used one with dd#3 till she was 8 months when she rolled onto her stomach in it so I decided it was time to put her in her cot, she now tummy sleeps and pulls the blanket over her head every time, so to me that is a risk but it is how she sleeps.

I think it is also important to keep an eye on kids, I always pull the blanket down. The other thing is I wonder if they had extra stuff under the babies as I never had a problem with the matress slipping or traping bub, she always rolled onto her side and would be up against the edge but it was so thin you could breath through it.

Would be interested to see what the patch is.

[Shanti]

Thanks for posting this up Tan. Surprise to see you posting

We have a hammock that we had DD in from birth until 11 weeks. We took her out of it at 11 weeks as she was rolling half over in it and we were very concerned about the suffocation risk of getting stuck if she rolled over and wasn't strong enough to get back onto her back (which at 11wks she definitely wasn't strong enough).
We stopped using it and packed it away. We are selling our's on ebay when I get organised. It didn't feel safe enough for us.... in those early weeks, yes it was great as newborns don't move much but as they get older.... not so sure...
I too would check on DD constantly in it.... but I still check on DD constantly now and she's in her cot LOL