Baby slings are safe when used properly
Written by drbob on August 30, 2010 – 7:21 pm -A federal safety commission on Friday issued a warning for baby-carrying slings, blaming them for three infant deaths in 2009.
A local sling manufacturer, however, opposed the warning, saying it could hurt her business and argued the slings are safe if used properly.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said slings have been associated with at least 14 infant deaths over the last 20 years. Most of the babies who died were under four months old and had either a low birth weight, were born prematurely, or had breathing issues such as a cold, the commission reported.
Slings are made from cloth and wrap around a parent's body, allowing them to carry a baby close on the chest, back, or hip.
The commission said the slings pose a suffocation hazard. The fabric can block a baby's breathing, resulting in death within a minute, it reported. And if the sling keeps the baby in a curled position, the airway can be restricted, rendering the baby unable to cry while suffocation occurs, the commission said.
It recommended that parents and caregivers who use a sling make sure the baby's face is visible, the chin upright, and that the baby isn't pressed up against the body. Babies should be checked frequently, it added.
Kristi Hayes, who manufactures and sells slings as part of her Berwick, Maine-based Gypsy Mama company, said that while she is "deeply saddened" by the sling-associated deaths, the products are safe and superior to alternatives such as baby carriages and strollers.
"They're an ancient practice that has been around since the dawn of time," she said.
She said slings are a more ergonomical and intimate baby-carrying method, with both physical and mental benefits. She said slings support a baby's neck and spine more than a stroller and help regulate breathing and body temperature. She said they also help a parent develop a closer bond with the baby, and vice-versa.
When babies lie on their backs in baby carriages and strollers, Hayes said it can cause "container syndrome" — a pediatric condition where a baby's motor skills and mental health are inhibited.
She said she's never had a parent express concern about a sling she's sold.
But after the commission's warning, she said she is concerned about its effect on her business — and the sling business as a whole.
"The industry may see a backlash," she said. "It's important for consumers to understand that slings are not only safe, but provide so many benefits."
The commission said it is currently developing a safety standard for all slings.
Tags: baby slings
Posted in Baby Slings | No Comments »