At Dear-Born Baby we carry a variety of baby carriers, from the classic Baby Bjorn, to a wonderful collection of slings/wraps that we adore. Recently, there has been some extremely sad reports of infant deaths cased by slings in the USA which has resulted in Health Canada recalling specific style slings called the Infantino SlingRider and Wendy Bellissimo Infant Sling Carriers.
To our customers, Dear-Born Baby has never carried the style of slings that have been recalled. However, we wanted to provide you with some helpful information in understanding slings and the issue that is at hand.
The slings that are of concern are '“bag-style” slings, the deep pouch where baby sits puts the baby in a potentially suffocating curved or “C” like position." KidsToday
"What exactly has Health Canada recalled? In a joint recall with the United States United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Health Canada is recalling Infantino SlingRider and Wendy Bellissimo Infant Sling Carriers, devices used by parents to carry their babies without using their hands. Approximately 14,755 of the recalled sling carriers were sold in Canada between January 2003 and March 2010. Parents who are using the slings with babies under four months of age are being asked to stop using the carriers right away. Many other brands of carriers on the market are not affected. "
(National Post, March 24)
We wanted to assure our customers that slings as an overall product, are not bad. It is the style of sling that one should be paying attention to. "In well-designed products, baby wearing is not only safe, but is actually very beneficial when done properly. Studies have shown that quality baby slings and carriers have been shown to save lives, improve health, decrease crying, increase IQ, and facilitate breastfeeding and bonding. " KidsToday.com
The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), is providing important safety information to parents and caregivers on the proper use of infant slings. JPMA advises that caregivers:
* Make sure baby's face is visible at all times.
* Baby's head should not be covered by any fabric.
* Parents and caregivers should be able to look at baby's entire face when they are wearing the child.
* Be sure that baby is not hunched with chin touching chest.
*Baby's face should not be pressed tight against wearer.
Several trusted Web sites exist to aide in the education of babywearing for caregivers and new parents. To name a few: TheBabywearer.com, the Facebook fan page for Babywearing Safety, Mothering.com and LaLecheLeague.org.
To see the press release from JPMA regarding the cautioned use of slings, please click here
