"It's a Whole New World" Convenience Can Turn Dangerous... Warning Issued on Self-Feeding Baby Products

Korea Consumer Agency and National Institute of Technology and Standards Issue Safety Alert
Concerns Raised in the US and UK, Discontinuation of Use Recommended
"Caregivers Must Remain Beside the Baby During Feeding"

The Korea Consumer Agency and the National Institute of Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on May 4 that concerns have recently been raised overseas about "baby self-feeding products," particularly regarding risks such as choking, and urged consumers to exercise caution when using these products.

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Getty Images Bank

Baby self-feeding products are designed as bib-shaped cushions equipped with pockets or bands that can hold and secure a baby bottle. These products are intended to allow babies to feed themselves formula without the assistance of a caregiver, and are distributed under various names such as self-feeding cushion, bottle cushion, or bottle holder.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a recommendation in January, advising that products which secure a bottle so it cannot be removed pose a choking hazard to babies during feeding. The CPSC recommended that consumers immediately discontinue use and dispose of such products.

Example of using a baby self-feeding product. Provided by the Korea Consumer Agency

The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) also issued a warning in December 2022, stating that all products designed to allow babies to self-feed without caregiver assistance carry risks of aspiration pneumonia and death due to choking, and recommended discontinuing use and discarding the products. As similar products continued to circulate in the market, the OPSS reissued the warning to stop using related products in October last year.

According to the domestic Maternal and Child Health Act, infants and young children are not permitted to feed from a bottle alone during feeding. Babies in the infant stage who require bottle feeding have underdeveloped gross motor control, making it difficult for them to turn their head to the side or remove the bottle from their mouth if they experience choking or aspiration during feeding. The Korea Consumer Agency explained that if more liquid flows from the bottle than the baby can swallow, it can enter the airway and cause aspiration pneumonia, or in severe cases, lead to choking.

The Korea Consumer Agency and the National Institute of Technology and Standards advised caution when using self-feeding products, referencing cases from the United States and United Kingdom. For safe feeding, they recommended: ▲Do not fix or prop up the bottle for use ▲Tilt the bottle so the nipple is fully filled with feeding liquid ▲If the baby shows signs of fullness or discomfort, adjust or stop the feeding amount ▲A caregiver must always remain beside the baby during feeding.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.