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Baby equipment gets recalled regularly, and the system for telling owners is weak. Manufacturers announce, the news covers it for a day, and the product keeps being used in thousands of homes, then gets handed to the next family.
Ten minutes of checking removes most of that risk.
The three places to look
- The CPSC recall database at cpsc.gov covers cribs, bassinets, strollers, carriers, sleep products, toys and almost everything else for a baby.
- The manufacturer’s own site, which usually has a recalls or safety page and a product registration form.
- The federal vehicle safety recall database for car seats, which are regulated as motor vehicle equipment rather than as consumer products.
Search by model number and date of manufacture, both of which are on a label on the product itself. A product name alone is not enough: recalls are usually limited to particular model numbers and production dates.
Cribs, play yards and car seats come with a registration card, and every manufacturer has an online version. It exists for one purpose: so they can contact you if that model is recalled. It takes two minutes and it is the only mechanism that works.
What to do when you find one
Recalls come with a specific remedy: a free repair kit, a replacement part, a refund, or a store credit. Follow the notice rather than improvising. Two things not to do:
- Do not keep using it while you decide. Recalls for infant products are usually issued for entrapment, suffocation, strangulation or fall hazards.
- Do not sell it or give it away. Reselling a recalled product is prohibited, and passing the hazard on is the thing the recall exists to prevent.
Report a problem, too
SaferProducts.gov accepts reports of unsafe products from the public, and that database is one of the ways hazard patterns get spotted. If a product fails in a way that could hurt a child, a report takes a few minutes and may be the report that starts an investigation.
A ten-minute routine, twice a year
Photograph the labels on the crib, the car seat, the stroller, the play yard and the carrier. Keep them in one album on your phone. Twice a year, search each model number. Do the same check before using anything that arrives secondhand.
Recall checks are part of the used car seat review, alongside its history and condition. The used high-chair guide applies the same product-identification step to another common secondhand purchase.
Questions people ask
How do I know if my baby product has been recalled?
Search the CPSC recall database by model number and date of manufacture, and check the manufacturer's site. For car seats, use the federal vehicle safety recall database.
Is it illegal to sell a recalled product?
Yes, reselling recalled products is prohibited, including at garage sales and on online marketplaces.
Does registering a product mean marketing emails?
Registration for safety purposes is meant to be used for recall notification. You can usually decline marketing separately on the same form.
What if the recalled product was a gift and I have no receipt?
Recall remedies are generally offered to the owner regardless of proof of purchase. The notice will say what it needs, usually the model number and a photo.
Where these figures come from
- Recalls US Consumer Product Safety Commission · cpsc.gov
- Report an unsafe product SaferProducts.gov, US Consumer Product Safety Commission · saferproducts.gov
Figures last checked September 2026.
