Imagine a new parent, soothing her baby at home, grateful for a moment of peace while her infant reclines in a cozy, contoured lounger beside her: It’s soft and portable, designed specifically for a baby’s supervised awake time — a helping hand amid the chaos of early parenthood.
Now imagine the federal government declaring this item to be too dangerous to exist.
That’s exactly what happened with the Podster, a baby lounger made by Leachco, a small family-owned business in Oklahoma.
Designed to cradle infants while they’re awake and with an adult, the Podster is not a sleeper, not a car seat, not a crib.
It’s a contoured cushion, a glorified baby pillow, meant to keep infants comfortably propped up while under a parent’s watchful eye.
Since its release in 2009 Leachco has sold over 180,000 Podsters.
When used as intended, it has a perfect safety record.