Just got a link to a bit of information on the dangers of "bag" slings. These are the ones sold at Target, Babies R Us, and other big box stores...please check it out, and pass it along to anybody who might have one...the blog was put together by a former NICU nurse turned babywearing teacher (she's the one who did the Mothering article not too long ago).
Basically, bag slings are not a safe way to carry your baby...they encourage poor positioning, do not allow for easy monitoring of the baby, and do not give access to fresh air.
Please note, this is ONLY for the bag sling carriers (i.e. Infantino's SlingRider). This is NOT applicable to ring slings, pouches, wraps, mei tais, etc.
Happy babywearing :)
5 comments:
Thank you for this information. Have the retailers been advised??
Thanks for the info. Those baby purses always seemed bizarre to me.
So, to sum up the problems: fabric too thick and not breathable enough, not enough air circulation, baby can't be seen or felt through the carrier, sags too low, insufficient head support, baby placed in horizontally? I'm asking
because besides the fabric choices and the initial positioning of the baby, pouch carriers seem very similar to these. I always slipped M into my pouch from a vertical, over the shoulders 'burping' position and that way her airway remained unscrunched and she had good head support. I also carried her high and snug so I could see and feel her very well. But I can see the potential for pouches to pose some of the same dangers as this infant purse thingie. Especially given her link on 'Correct positioning'. I don't mean to scare anyone away from babywearing, but aren't the traditional soft carriers not much safer unless used properly?
Judit, traditional carriers are much, much safer because their design does not put the baby in such a bad position. Yes, even a soft pouch carrier is waaay safer than the bag style...the bag's design is simply so flawed. A pouch is not a V shape, the baby doesn't lay flat with chin to chest, and even when small, the pouch doesn't fully close back up over the baby...
Don't be scared away from babywearing - basically anything BUT this bag carrier is great :)
I'll get some more info another time - running back out the door right now.
I am embarrassed to admit that I have never heard of these carriers nor have I ever seen one that I know of..
I don't get out much I guess.
Okay. Just to clarify, I'm well past the point of being scared away from babywearing, LOL! (save for back wrap carry. I admit I'm a failure there.) I asked my question on the original blog, too. Her 'correct positioning' handout does warn against letting baby scrunch up in pouch. I have to add though, it looks *so wrong!* instinctively that I never had my pouch baby in a position like that.
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