The Good and the Bad about Baby Slings

Part 2: The Bad

From reading part one of this post you would probably agree that there are many benefits to baby wearing. However, you may have also heard recent reports questioning the safety of baby slings. You may be questioning whether or not to buy a sling; or if you already have a sling, you may be wondering how to wear your baby safely. What follows is a summary of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports on sling use along with links to their full text so that you can make your own informed decision about using slings. We've also included some important safety tips for sling wearing moms and a great link to more safety information from Baby Wearing International.


Infant Deaths Prompt CPSC Warning About Sling Carriers for Babies
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released a report in March 2010 (Click here for full text) advising parents and caregivers to use caution while using baby slings with babies less than 4 months old. The CPSC identified, and is now investigating, at least 14 deaths over the last 20 years associated with sling-style carriers (12 of which were in babies less than 4 months old). The deaths resulted from suffocation; however, most of the babies who died were low birth weight, premature or had breathing issues (including colds). Thus, parents of babies in these high risk groups should use extra care when using slings. Two types of suffocation hazard can occur with slings: 1) The sling fabric can cover the baby’s nose and mouth, blocking their breathing (in young babies who still have weak neck muscles) and 2) when the sling puts the baby into a position where the baby’s chin is curled into his chest (can restrict the airway). Currently, the CPSC is working to add slings to the list of infant products that require a mandatory standard.

A separate report was released by CPSC recalling the SlingRider brand baby sling. For more information about this recall click here.

CPSC Recommendations for Sling Use
The CPSC gives the following recommendation for sling use: “CPSC recommends that parents and caregivers make sure the infant’s face is not covered and is visible at all times to the sling’s wearer. If nursing the baby in a sling, change the baby’s position after feeding so the baby’s head is facing up and is clear of the sling and the mother’s body. Parents and caregivers should be vigilant about frequently checking their baby in a sling.”

The Key to Wearing Your Baby Safely: Correct Positioning
It is extremely important that your baby is positioned in the sling correctly. Follow any instructions given by the manufacturer and always position your baby so that she can breathe (make sure her chin is not curled against her chest and her face is not covered by fabric). There should be a fingers' width or two between the baby's chin and chest. Correct positioning is especially important for babies less than 4 months old because their neck muscles are still weak.

For a full list of safety tips, visit Baby Wearing International at: http://babywearinginternational.org/pages/safety.php

Next time: Developmental Milestones in the Second Year

References
1. Safety Tips: http://babywearinginternational.org/pages/safety.php
2. Consumer Product Safety Commission Reports about Sling Use: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10165.html
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10177.html

The Good and the Bad about Baby Slings

Part 1: The Good

I have to say I feel biased writing this post because I am such a big proponent of babywearing after my own sling-toting experiences with my daughter. However, there have been 2 recent reports published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warning about sling use in young infants. At our office, and as we travel to spread the Baby Behavior messages around California and beyond, we are continually asked our opinion about the recent controversy over the safety of sling use. We hope to give you some research-based (and real life) perspectives on the good and the bad about baby slings. There was so much information out there that we decided to write this in 2 posts. Today, we'll look at the benefits of baby wearing, and next Tuesday we'll look at the recent reports questioning sling safety and share some tips to help you make an informed decision about baby wearing.

Wearing Your Baby (Safely) Improves Infant Attachment and Reduces Infant Crying
I was given several slings while pregnant with my daughter, and I never could have imagined then how useful a sling would be after my bundle of joy arrived. The sling gave me the ability to do many activities “hands-free” while keeping my baby close. I have vacuumed, done laundry, prepared meals (but not cooking on a hot stove!), hiked trails, grocery shopped, played Frisbee with my dog, and safely navigated a few airports, all with my baby girl safely tucked against my chest. With some practice I even learned to breastfeed my daughter in the sling. As you can imagine, slings are a great bonding tool for mothers and babies, but fathers and other caregivers can also wear the baby. I have some pretty funny memories of my Husband wearing our 9 month old daughter in my bright red Moby Wrap! Baby wearing by other caregivers not only provides mom with a break, it also allows those loved ones to connect and build a close relationship with the baby. The “skin-to-skin” contact also regulates the baby’s heart rate and temperature - not to mention the fact that babies are just a lot happier when they are close to their mom or other loved ones. Wearing my daughter in a sling also helped me connect with her during the very challenging 1st 6-weeks of her life when I was exhausted and depressed. But you don’t have to believe just my own experience! Let’s take a look at the research.

The Research: More Secure Attachments

A small study by Anisfeld, et al, showed that increased physical contact (mothers received soft baby carriers and were instructed to use them everyday) resulted in significantly more secure attachment between mothers and infants. Eighty-three percent of infants held in baby carriers were securely attached versus 38% in the control group (given infant seats) at 13 months of age. The presumed reason being that carrying the baby leads the parent to provide faster responses to the infant's crying and cues, resulting in the infant feeling more secure. Further analysis even showed that sling-wearing positively affected infant-mother attachment beyond that which was attributed to increased responsiveness of the mother when wearing the baby close. You might wonder how they objectively measured how much time moms wore their infants in the carriers. Well, they actually sewed pedometers inside the slings!

The Research: Reduced Crying

A randomized controlled trial of full term breastfed infants by Hunziker, et al. found that carrying your baby in arms or in a baby carrier (that provided body contact between mother and infant) for at least 3 hours per day (in addition to carrying regularly provided during feeding and in response to crying) reduced daytime crying by 43% and nighttime crying (4pm-12am) by 54%! Also, the normal peak in crying that occurs at 6-weeks of age was practically eliminated.

From my own experiences and from research findings, it seems obvious that babywearing has many benefits, but is it really safe? When baby slings are worn properly, they can be safe, but it’s very important to follow a few important safety guidelines. As with any baby product, you must learn to use slings properly and always keep safety in mind. In our next post, we’ll give you a brief overview of the recent safety warnings from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and share some guidelines for wearing slings safely. Stay tuned!

Next time: The Bad: Recent Warnings from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission About Sling Use

References
1. Anisfeld E, Casper V, Nozyce M, Cunningham N. (1990) Does Infant Carrying Promote Attachment? An Experimental Study of the Effects of Increased Physical Contact on the Development of Attachment. Child Development 61:1617-1627.
2. Hunziker UA, Garr RG. (1986) Increased carrying reduces infant crying: A random-ized controlled trial. Pediatrics 77:641-648