US Government warnings on unsafe baby slings

[emd]

AAP story here

Here it is in a nutshell...

Some "bag slings", like the Infantino SlingRider, have been talked about for years now as being unsafe. This is because the baby can too easily get into a position where their chin is down on their chest while in a lying-down position - try putting your chin on your chest, you can't breathe in that position and neither can a baby. There have been cases in the US where babies have died of suffocation in these types of slings.

So, the US Government is now looking into the issue, and will issue a safety warning. Hopefully their final decision will not be applied to all soft fabric slings, as many of them are perfectly safe when used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

If you're using a sling and you're worried about safety, check out groups like Baby Carriers Downunder, or go along to a local AP or babywearing group to meet other parents who use these slings and can help you ensure your newborn is being positioned correctly. The main thing is to make sure that there is nothing obstructing baby's airway, in particular that the baby's chin is not down on its chest when the baby is lying down in the sling.

[ENR]

I can understand the problem with those particular types of slings. I really hope the wrong idea doesn't get out that all soft slings are bad.

[emd]

Me too, ENR! Accidents can happen in prams, baby carriers, or carrying babies in arms - we can't just outright ban everything, better to improve on design standards and ensure people are taught to use things correctly.

[battlecrumpet]

Ta for that. I'll be really interested to see some more detailed guidelines / standards when they come out.

Another concern: that the baby can turn its face toward mom's chest or belly and smother in the parent's clothing

I gather this might mean that some types of front-facing-inward carries might be risky as well?

[emd]

The US CPSC warning has been released.
It includes this handy image showing right and wrong ways to position a baby in a sling:

If you're not sure about positioning, get in contact with experienced babywearers who can help you out. There's the Baby Carriers Downunder group in Australia, Slingbabies in NZ, and various babywearing groups in the USA, who all meet regularly. Or try making contact with other babywearers through AP groups (look in the sub-forums on NP for your local area).