US government set to publish general warning about baby slings

March 10, 2010 by Shawn Douglas
Filed under: News, Product News

The US government’s Consumer Product Safety Commission says it will publish a general warning this week about the dangers of using baby slings.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) of the United States will publish warnings this week about baby slings. The slings are popular because they allow mothers to carry their babies close to their chest while walking.

The slings are said to be responsible for a few infant suffocation deaths and numerous injuries from falling out of the sling.

During a meeting of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association this past Tuesday, head of the CPSC Inez Tenenbaum said that the CPSC plans to issue its public warning this week on the hazards posed by baby slings.

“We know of too many deaths in these slings and we now know the hazard scenarios for very small babies,” said Tenenbaum. “So, the time has come to alert parents and caregivers.”

During her announcement, no particular sling was singled out and no information was given about the number of deaths related to baby slings.

In October 2009, Consumer Reports issued a warning on its blog about deaths related to sling usage. Consumer Reports, an independent and non-profit entity that rates products and services, said then that they were aware of at least seven deaths and 37 serious injuries over an 11-year period.

In particular, the staff mentioned the Infantino Slingrider which has been recalled once before for shoulder strap adjusters that broke. However, it wasn’t recalled for suffocation hazards.

The site mentioned how the Slingrider and other slings like it can pose a suffocation risk, saying: “That can happen for two reasons — either the baby’s face turns inward and becomes covered by the mother’s clothing or breasts, or the baby is placed in a position where the infant’s head falls so far forward that the airway is closed off.”

Rather than slings, many professionals recommend carriers that allow the baby to sit in the upright position, with the tummy of the baby facing the mother’s.

More information about the slings should appear on the CPSC Web site by the end of the week.