My heart aches for the parents of baby Derrick Fowler, who obviously thought that their 1 week old would be safe and sound as they carried him in his sling.
And, they are not alone. There have been other baby
deaths involving sling-type carriers. Which I find shocking, but not unimaginable... just horrible.
"On March 12, 2010, CPSC issued a warning about sling carriers for babies. Slings can pose two different types of suffocation hazards to babies. In the first few months of life, babies cannot control their heads because of weak neck muscles. The sling's fabric can press against an infant's nose and mouth, blocking the baby's breathing and rapidly suffocating a baby within a minute or two. Additionally, where a sling keeps the infant in a curled position bending the chin toward the chest, the airways can be restricted, limiting the oxygen supply. The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate." - Baby Zone Newsletter.
And yet, and yet...
'babywearing' has been one of the great joys of my life. And I will continue to wear my baby and to advocate wearing your baby(!) but with this very particular caution:
Wear your baby as you would carry your baby in your arms. Her head near your head. You wouldn't naturally hold a newborn down by your waist, you would hold a newborn close, against your chest. So a carrier designed to do that is the first kind you will want to use.
The picture above is the
Infantino Sling Rider, the sling the Fowler's were using. Notice how far away
