Sling Caution

The latest news is that babies under four months old should not be carried in slings. This is unfortunate as birth through around four months is when many babies are carried this way. These warnings come as fourteen babies have died as a result of suffocation in slings, three in 2009 alone. The issues are that babies are placed in a c-shape and/or with their mouths and noses too close to the parent’s clothing. Babies with their weak neck muscles at this age are unable to lift their own heads to create a free airway.

Babywearing has become increasingly popular and has moved more mainstream from just the breastfeeding mom and her Aztec pattered sling. There are countless companies and styles from which to choose. Babies in slings are close to mom’s heartbeat and warmth and this proximity is what the nine months in/nine months out concept, Kangaroo care and Dr. Karp’s techniques all hail. The problem comes when mothers feel a false sense of security by having baby so close. While pregnant, nature protects baby in the womb by surrounding him with fluid, muscle and fat. He also has a continuous stream of oxygen. Even if we occasionally forget we are carrying little Jr., our body is taking care of business for us – we breathe in, so does baby, we eat, so does baby. Once out of this haven it is generally up to moms to be constantly aware of baby. While it seems impossible that you ever would, don’t forget about the baby. When carrying him in a sling, his head should be visible and unable to flop forward. Check in with your little squishy man while you cart him around in your pouch.

So much of parenting is common sense and high alert. Your radar should always be up and being a parent enables you to function at this level without going immediately insane. Insanity may come intermittently and some days it feels like it’s settling in for good, but we are equipped to do this. Years ago John Stossel reported a study that explained why men never hear us when they are watching T.V. They played a recording of many voices at once reading different stories. When the men listened they could pick out one voice and hear that story. When the women listened, they could hear all the voices at once. Men hear one thing at a time. We hear it all at the same time – the children, the dryer, the doorbell, the oven. Though baby is close to our hearts in the sling, keep them close in your mind as well and listen.

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