01/31/2026
I agree with Dr Hess completely on this!
🚨 Weighted Sleep Sacks & Infants: Why I Do NOT Recommend Them — Even When Marketing Says They’re “Safe” &/Or If They Say “Pediatrician Approved” (I’m looking at you Dreamland & Dr. J)!
I understand how exhausted parents feel when their baby isn’t sleeping. I was there too! I also understand why products that promise “better sleep” are incredibly appealing. But as a pediatrician and child safety expert, my responsibility is to follow evidence-based medicine, not marketing — and when it comes to weighted sleep sacks for infants, the evidence and expert guidance are clear.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does NOT recommend weighted sleep products for infants. This includes weighted blankets, weighted swaddles, and weighted sleep sacks. These items should not be placed on or near an infant during sleep.
Here’s why:
⚠️ No established safety standards
There are currently no federally regulated safety standards that determine how heavy is “safe,” how weight should be distributed, or how these products should be tested for infant sleep. Parents are being asked to trust marketing claims in the absence of real safety data.
⚠️ False or misleading claims
Many weighted sleep products are marketed as “pediatrician approved” or “tested,” yet there are no peer-reviewed studies demonstrating that these products are safe for unsupervised infant sleep, especially overnight. To be VERY clear, I have no respect for Pediatricians that take part in this kind of marketing. As professionals and experts we should be following evidence-based medicine & recommendations.
⚠️ Pressure on the chest
Infants have immature respiratory systems. Added weight on the chest can restrict chest wall movement, potentially impacting breathing and oxygenation — especially during deep sleep or illness.
⚠️ Difficulty maneuvering and repositioning
Infants must be able to move their head and body freely to protect their airway. Added weight may limit an infant’s ability to reposition, increasing the risk of suffocation or rebreathing.
⚠️ Impaired arousal
One of the greatest risks is that weight may reduce an infant’s ability to arouse from sleep. The ability to wake and respond is a known protective factor against sleep-related deaths.
⚠️ Reported deaths
There have been reported infant deaths associated with weighted sleep products, prompting warnings from child safety organizations and consumer protection agencies.
The AAP’s safe sleep guidance is evidence-based and has been shown to reduce sleep-related deaths:
✔️ Babies should sleep alone
✔️ On their backs
✔️ In a crib or bassinet
✔️ On a firm, flat surface
✔️ With NO weighted items, loose bedding, or sleep accessories
So when companies market weighted sleep sacks — and when pediatricians publicly endorse them — I struggle to understand how that aligns with evidence-based medicine, AAP guidance, and expert consensus on infant safety.
Parents deserve clear, honest information — not reassurance that contradicts well-established safety recommendations. And certainly not false or predatory marketing.
