PSA about Slings

DansLuckyGirl · January 2011

I was reading the sling/wrap/carrier debate below and wanted to do a PSA about slings and suffocation. When DS was about a month old he almost suffocated in his sling. I loved wearing it around the house and never had a problem with it until one day while I was doing the dishes and started hearing a snuffing/whining noise from DS in his sling. I looked down and he had somehow turned his head into my body, was stuck that way and couldn't breathe. It scared the crap out of me and I never used the sling again. I got a Moby wrap the next day and used it for several more months with no problems.

I'm sure that most people have been lucky and not had this problem, but I just wanted to share my story in case it helps with your decisions about the slings/wraps/carriers. Other people have had this issue also and I have read articles with a suffocation warning:

https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/09/national/main6282437.shtml

urbanflowerpot · January 2011

Thank you for sharing that!! It must have been terrifying! It's good to be aware that something like that can happen, no matter how rare (planning on using a babyhawk, myself).

00tedsgirl · January 2011

I highly recommend taking a class to learn how to properly use whatever type of carrier you get for this exact reason.

BetchySprout · January 2011

Yes, that is generally if you have the baby in the sling improperly and it is, IMO and in my experience extremely hard to get a baby in a sling properly, esp if it isn't fitted right.

That sling you linked to has been recalled for a long time. That is a bag-type sling, which isn't on the market anymore.

mrbear83 · January 2011

Yes! There was a lady who wore her newborn in a wrap to Six Flag ALL DAY LONG (don't get me started). It was in the dead of the summer, and her baby suffocated in her wrap and she didn't even know until dinnertime. Sad.

sugarangel77 · January 2011

mrbear83:
Yes! There was a lady who wore her newborn in a wrap to Six Flag ALL DAY LONG (don't get me started). It was in the dead of the summer, and her baby suffocated in her wrap and she didn't even know until dinnertime. Sad.

OMG redic- and extremely sad.

thanks for the info ladies!

America's Next Top Mommy · January 2011

sugarangel77:
mrbear83:
Yes! There was a lady who wore her newborn in a wrap to Six Flag ALL DAY LONG (don't get me started). It was in the dead of the summer, and her baby suffocated in her wrap and she didn't even know until dinnertime. Sad.
OMG redic- and extremely sad.

thanks for the info ladies!

That is EXTREMELY ridiculous. I don't see how you would stick baby in sling and just go about your daily activities without constantly checking on him or her. Smh. Easily preventable no matter what kind of sling or carrier you use.

iris427 · January 2011

America's Next Top Mommy:
sugarangel77:
mrbear83:
Yes! There was a lady who wore her newborn in a wrap to Six Flag ALL DAY LONG (don't get me started). It was in the dead of the summer, and her baby suffocated in her wrap and she didn't even know until dinnertime. Sad.
OMG redic- and extremely sad.

thanks for the info ladies!

That is EXTREMELY ridiculous. I don't see how you would stick baby in sling and just go about your daily activities without constantly checking on him or her. Smh. Easily preventable no matter what kind of sling or carrier you use.

I can see how a sleeping baby in a sling could suffocate without a parent noticing right away, even an attentive parent. It only takes a few minutes without oxygen for a baby to die or suffer serious brain damage. It's easy for your mind to wander for 10 minutes, especially if you are sleep deprived, IMO.

I never liked using slings and the reports of babies suffocating in them reinforces it for me.

amandabrooke81 · January 2011

Pattypoundcake:

Yes, that is generally if you have the baby in the sling improperly and it is, IMO and in my experience extremely hard to get a baby in a sling properly, esp if it isn't fitted right.

That sling you linked to has been recalled for a long time. That is a bag-type sling, which isn't on the market anymore.

This.

There are many cultures who have safely practiced babywearing for centuries. While it's a great thing that a horrible product was finally exposed for fatal flaws, it's a shame that it's tarnished many people's view of slings and babywearing in general.

There's a proper way to babywear {whichever method you pick}. Just the same as using any other type of baby gear.

tokenhoser · January 2011

amandabrooke81:
Pattypoundcake:

Yes, that is generally if you have the baby in the sling improperly and it is, IMO and in my experience extremely hard to get a baby in a sling properly, esp if it isn't fitted right.

That sling you linked to has been recalled for a long time. That is a bag-type sling, which isn't on the market anymore.

This.

There are many cultures who have safely practiced babywearing for centuries. While it's a great thing that a horrible product was finally exposed for fatal flaws, it's a shame that it's tarnished many people's view of slings and babywearing in general.

There's a proper way to babywear {whichever method you pick}. Just the same as using any other type of baby gear.

It's kind of like the "baby died when forgot in the car" stories we see every summer. Tragic things happen. It's good to learn from them, but there's no point in becoming afraid of life.

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