All of the recent recalls and warnings have really been disturbing for baby wearers. The recalled and warned slings that have been at the forefront of this are VASTLY different from my slings. They are bag slings and you can see one pictured in the link above. They are basically a bag with a strap attached. Babies were suffocating because their chins were forced to their chest. It's the reason we keep tiny new babies at a 45 degree angle in the car for the first several months- chin to chest cuts off a baby's air way.
That said, yesterday I read about a recall (voluntary, I think) of a home-made ring sling that looked a lot like mine. From what I read, the problem was the same as the bag sling- chin to chest or fabric over the mouth and nose causing suffocation.
With that I issue this warning/recommendation: DO NOT CARRY YOUR BABY CRADLED DOWN IN YOUR SLING. Your baby's chin should not fall to his chest. I highly recommend you use the tummy-to-tummy carry when using your sling with your newborn. If you look at the pictures at the top of the page, NONE of them are being carried in a cradled position. You use a sling as a "second set of arms." You carry your baby in it just as you would if you were holding him with your arms. This link does a WONDERFUL job of showing the difference between a safe carry and an unsafe one. I encourage you do do your research and really practice using your sling. Use some of my resources on the right side of the page to learn. There are tons of videos and tutorials out there at your disposal. Your baby's safety is your responsibility.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
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