With a new warning, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is finally addressing an issue many of us have long suspected: Slings can be dangerous. The CPSC issued a warning yesterday advising parents and caregivers to be cautious when using a sling for babies younger than four months.The Commission looked at 14 deaths associated with sling-style infant carriers in the past 20 years and found that these baby carriers pose two types of suffocation hazards.  The first is for the youngest babies who can’t control their heads because of weak neck muscles. The fabric of the sling can press against a baby’s mouth and nose and suffocate the baby within a minute or two. Slings that keep a baby in a curled position, bending his chin toward his chest, can also restrict the airways, limiting the oxygen supply and hindering a baby’s ability to cry for help. Of the babies who died in slings, 12 were younger than four months and many were either a low-birth-weight twin, premature or had breathing issues (such as a cold). The CPSC urges parents of twins, preemies, babies in fragile health and those of a low weight to consult a pediatrician about using a sling.(Story continues below) Recently, the Commission added slings to the list of durable infant products that require a mandatory standard and is investigating whether to take further action. The CPSC recommends that people who are going to carry a baby in a sling:

- Make sure the infant’s face is not covered.

-Make sure the infant’s face is visible at all times.

-Moms who nurse a baby in a sling should reposition the baby after feeding so the baby’s head is facing up and is clear of both the sling and her body.

In a press release, the CPSC said it is “interested in receiving incident or injury reports related to infant slings.” To do this, visit https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx or call the CPSC hotline at (800) 638-2772.Diagram source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

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