Baby sling safety debate (Savannah parenting news)
The safety of baby slings is in question as the government warns that some slings can be dangerous, even deadly for their little ones.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said it has investigated at least 13 deaths associated with sling-style infant carriers over the last 20 years, including three deaths last year. One other case involving a fatality is still being investigated. Twelve of the deaths involved babies younger than four months of age, the agency said.
However, supporters of baby slings emphasize that the warning is for “bag slings” that are mass produced and sold under names like Infantino. The warning does not include ring slings and pouch slings that you can safely carry your children in.
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The commission is advising parents and caregivers to be cautious when using infant slings for babies younger than four months. It said that many of the babies who died in slings were a low birth weight twin, were born prematurely, or had a cold.
In its warning, CPSC said that slings can pose a suffocation hazard in two different ways.
–A sling’s fabric can press against a baby’s nose and mouth, blocking the baby’s breathing and suffocating a baby within a minute or two, the agency said.
–The other scenario involves slings where the baby is cradled in a curved or “C-like” position, nestling the baby below mom’s chest or near her belly. That curved position can cause a baby who doesn’t have strong neck control to flop its head forward, chin-to-chest, restricting the infant’s ability to breathe. “The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate,” warned the commission.