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Viral baby products marketed for convenience and Instagram-worthy moments carry risks of suffocation, drowning, experts warn

A scene from an episode of KBS' "The Return of Superman" aired in January shows the child drinking formula with the help of a self-feeding pillow. (KBS)

Two twin sisters, not yet 50 days old, lie in separate bassinets, quietly sucking on bottles they are too young to hold, their tiny arms and legs fluttering at their sides.

It is a typical morning routine for the sisters, and a precious few minutes for their mother, Shin, to wash her face, make coffee and put in a load of laundry.

Those uninterrupted minutes are made possible by self-feeding pillows, bib-like cushions with built-in pockets that hold baby bottles in place, allowing infants to feed without being cradled by a parent.

"When they both start crying for milk at the same time and I'm by myself, it's really tough," said Shin, a 35-year-old mother from Incheon, explaining why she bought one pillow for each of her daughters.

“It’s much easier on my wrists, and even those few minutes make a big difference. For parents of twins, it’s a must-have.”

A self-feeding pillow for infants sold by local baby products brand. (MyBabe)

While the exact origins of self-feeding pillows remain unclear, the products have been available for years in the US, Canada and several European countries. In Korea, they began gaining popularity in the 2010s, driven by growing demand among parents of twins, industry sources said.

Twins accounted for 5.7 percent of all babies born in Korea in 2024, or 13,461 newborns, up from 3.7 percent in 2015, when 16,166 twins were born, according to a report by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs.

But the pillows pose serious safety risks for babies, the Korea Consumer Agency warns.

"If more milk or formula flows into a baby's mouth than the infant can swallow, it could enter the airway and lead to choking or aspiration pneumonia," the public agency said in a report released in May.

Several countries have already moved to restrict the sale of self-feeding pillows over safety concerns.

Ireland banned self-feeding pillows in December 2022, citing the “risk of death or serious harm” to infants. Earlier this year, health authorities in the US and Canada advised consumers to immediately stop using certain self-feeding devices, including products from South Korean brand MyBebe.

Convenience with hidden risks

In Korea, the pillows are part of a broader trend toward parenting products aimed at easing the daily demands of childcare.

Another popular item is the anti-reflux pillow, first developed in Korea in 2016 by children’s clothing brand Rototobebe.

The round, inclined cushion is designed to hold a newborn with the upper body slightly elevated after feeding to help reduce spit-up. It has become a babycare staple in Korea, with many other brands also offering their own versions in different designs and materials.

An anti-reflux pillow from local baby products brand Jeinjena. (Jeinjena)

Although the US has similar products known as baby loungers, the sloped design of the anti-reflux pillow appears to be unique to Korea.

Originally intended for use after a newborn has been fully burped following a feeding, the pillow has also become a shortcut to burping for some parents pressed for time.

"I used an anti-reflux pillow that could fit both of my babies at the same time. It was a real lifesaver. When one started crying, I used to put the other on the anti-reflux pillow without finishing the burping. I thought it was better than laying the baby flat," said Kim Jae-yeon, 31, the mother of twins born in 2024.

But some experts have voiced concerns that the products reflect a parenting culture that prioritizes convenience over safety.

“Self-feeding pillows pose a range of risks, from ear infections to suffocation, which can be fatal. Reflux after feeding is a normal process in newborns, and anti-reflux pillows are products without medical evidence to support their use,” said Chung Yoo-mi, a pediatrician with more than 20 years of experience who runs a pediatric clinic in Seoul's Dongjak-gu with her husband, fellow pediatrician Ha Jung-hoon.

“Convenience and efficiency have become increasingly valued in parenting, often at the expense of safety. It's concerning that products are replacing even basic caregiving tasks like feeding a baby and holding them upright to burp. Parenting isn't simply about making things easier. You're caring for a human life."

Questions arise over the baby neck float trend

Chung also expressed concern over the rising popularity of baby neck floats.

Photos and videos of babies floating with only their faces above the water while their tiny legs paddle beneath the surface have been trending on social media here.

This runs counter to growing international efforts to discourage the use of baby neck floats over the risk of drowning and serious injury, according to Chung.

A search for "baby neck float" on Instagram returns numerous photos and short videos of babies floating in bathtubs or pools while wearing neck floats. (Instagram)

The US Food and Drug Administration has warned against using baby neck floats since 2022 due to the risk of death or serious injury following a series of safety incidents involving the products.

Between January 2019 and January 2024, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission received 115 reports of cases linked to infant neck floats, including two infant deaths and two injuries requiring hospitalization.

Global online marketplace Amazon currently classifies baby neck floats as prohibited or restricted products.

"In Korea, postpartum care centers and baby spas continue to offer neck-float bathing as a premium service, promoting it as a photo-friendly experience. But a baby neck float is neither a life jacket nor a developmental aid," the pediatrician said.

Other experts warn that the popularity of parenting content on social media is causing safety concerns to take a back seat.

"These days, even newborns are becoming social media stars. As parenting content continues to grow in popularity, some baby products are being treated more like props for photos and videos than items meant to be used safely. That's a real concern," said a pediatrician surnamed Woo who runs a clinic in Seoul.

Woo also dismissed marketing claims that baby neck floats recreate the comfort of the womb.

"The idea that babies feel emotionally secure because the float reminds them of the amniotic fluid is simply not backed by medical evidence. Holding your baby while bathing them is the safest option, and the skin-to-skin contact also promotes healthy bonding," he said.

"These marketing messages have no medical basis, yet they're repeated by product makers, baby spas and even postpartum care centers. If we can't stop those messages, then parents have to work harder to find accurate information."

cjh@heraldcorp.com