http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/03/09/us/politics/AP-US-Baby-Slings-Warning.html?ref=news
Allison, 32
DH Ethan, 31
DS James, DOB 7/24/09, 7lbs 1oz, 20 1/2 in
Our pups: Indiana Jones "Indy," 2...RIP Lili 1/27/02-11/27/09...I lost my best friend ...I'll never forget you, Lili
The dangers of those bag slings has been posted about before. Horrid carriers. I cringe when I see a baby in one.
Me and him plus 6/23/06 and 12/10/08 =
I just saw this article and I have to say, it is a little misleading. The real issue is that people are not using these slings properly! I have seen people in public wearing their babies in these padded slings where the baby is practically folded in half, and the poor thing is bouncing along almost on the mother's HIP for goodness sakes! I can't imagine how someone would think it made sense to wear a baby like a purse
A baby should be properly supported and not smothered in a sling. How is that not common sense?
Make a pregnancy ticker
Me 30 ♥ DH 33 ♥ DD 5.25.07
I have two of those slings, one ring sling and one with clips, and I have never been able to use them with my infants because of this exact problem. I have never been able to figure out how to get baby to not fold in half!! I do like them when baby is bigger and I can have them upright though. I remember seeing on Brothers & Sisters when Kitty had her baby in the sling all wrapped up and hung down low and it seemed so unsafe to me!
- May 1st, 2006 8wks - September 25th, 2006 11 weeks - January 12th, 2007 7 weeks - January 27th, 2008 9 weeks
mamarti1: I just saw this article and I have to say, it is a little misleading. The real issue is that people are not using these slings properly!
I just saw this article and I have to say, it is a little misleading. The real issue is that people are not using these slings properly!
But that is precisely the problem. When used correctly, slings may be perfectly safe, but there is a very high rate of misuse. Quite honestly getting your baby in at the right angle is a sling that is the right fit is a complete exercise in trial and error - it is not that easy. There is a very steep learning curve, IMO, which leads to a lot of 'wrong' techniques that are not safe.
Me (40) DH (41)
DD Laura born 2/5/09, via C-Section at 41 weeks (After almost 2 years of TTC, conceived naturally 3 months after loss of left fallopian tube due to IVF-induced ectopic pregnancy )
charleysgirl: I have two of those slings, one ring sling and one with clips, and I have never been able to use them with my infants because of this exact problem. I have never been able to figure out how to get baby to not fold in half!! I do like them when baby is bigger and I can have them upright though. I remember seeing on Brothers & Sisters when Kitty had her baby in the sling all wrapped up and hung down low and it seemed so unsafe to me!
- Kim
One evening, a grandfather was teaching his young grandson about the internal battle that each person faces. "There are two wolves struggling inside of us," the old man said. "One wolf is vengefulness, anger, resentment, self- pity, fear. The other wolf is compassion, faithfulness, hope, truth and love." The grandson sat, thinking, and then asked, "Which wolf wins, Grandfather?" His grandfather replied, "The one you feed." - Cherokee fable
I have to say, I've babyworn 2 kids and never figured out how to get a baby laying correctly in a sling. I tried it a dozen times with Tristan with a couple different slings and then gave up altogether. Now I only use the sling with him sitting upright, sort of tucked under my arm, and usually only for a few minutes while I need an extra hand and he won't be put down. Slings just do not work well for newborns IMO. With DD we only really used the sling when she was walking.
Erin (Aufilia) DD Vivian, 1/29/06 DS Tristan, 10/24/09
I should add that I have never used a bag-style sling, just a pouch. My pouch was the right size for me and there wasn't enough extra fabric for the baby to slump down in it like they do in those padded bag ones. When DD was a tiny newborn, I tightly rolled a recieving blanket in the bottle of the sling so that her face was closer to the opening of the sling (and her back was supported as well).
I haven't used a ring sling with a newborn but they seem like you could adjust them enough that the baby's back would be properly supported (I think you have to pull the part of the tail that is behind baby's spine).
Baby-wearing classes are useful - I took one before having DD and they covered proper positioning of the baby in the sling.
I haven't seen anyone wearing a baby badly in any slings besides these bag-style ones. I thought it was because people weren't tightening them enough but maybe they are just a crappy product after all that.
I hope they give the warning properly, but I have my doubts... you know how they warn all new parents against co-sleeping and its many dangers- instead of telling them how to co sleep safely. They need to give parents a heads up of the dangers of IMPROPER positioning in the sling as well as poorly made slings. I do think sling retailers should include a warning to be sure the baby`s head is not resting on his chest- they need to tell parents this in the hospital about carseats too because babies often slip into this position in their bucket car seats as well. I was always careful to position my newborns in the sling so that they were in a safe cradle carry, it can be tricky, but doable. I get a lot of dirty looks and gasps when people find out I co sleep, I can just see the dirty looks I`ll get for using a sling aka ``death trap``.
The biggest danger is from those bag slings - even positioned correctly in one of those, they are a danger...
Susan - 29 and Chris - 30
Catherine Anne -born via c-section on June 30, 2008
Rebecca Marie - born naturally on April 18, 2010
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I saw someone today at a consignment sale with their baby in one of those bag slings. I wanted to tell her to get her out of there! Of course I didn't. She was wearing it like a purse. It was awful.
There were lots of other mommies there with their babies in mei teis and Moby wraps and I had my little guy in his Pikkilo. I was just hoping that by seeing all of us she got an idea of what else was out there.
I got a bag sling (the Infantino one they mention actually!!) as a shower gift, and I tried it once only. DD was clearly uncomfortable, and I couldn't figure out how to position her properly. It just didn't seem safe to me. Guess my instinct were correct. We don't really use any type of carrier (she much prefers her stroller when we're out and about), but DH has used a front carrier at the airport, and she loved it! She loved being able to hang out and watch everything.