Government warning about baby slings
So it seems the Government is prepared to issue a warning about baby slings and how deadly they are. I want to reiterate that the slings that have caused problems are the commercial, overly fussy, padded ring slings and “pouches.” These types of slings do not allow the wearer to adjust the sling properly. They DO hold babies in an unnatural “c” curved position, which is not particularly good for their spines.
Infants lying down in a sling SHOULD look like this:
See how well-supported the baby is? Her spine is straight, not curved. Her face is uncovered and her chin is not touching her chest. Mama can see baby’s face and baby has nothing to suffocate on.
This excellent article also discusses correct newborn positioning.
Please do not be scared by this warning! Babywearing is perfectly safe when done properly. Just like everything else in life.
Posted on March 10, 2010, in Babywearing. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
That is a beautiful sling. Let me say, that babywearing helped me out of a pretty bad bout of postpartum depression, allowed me to better bond with my baby, helped with milk production, and now with baby number two….allows me to be a farmer and a mother.
I had one of the “commercial, overly fussy, padded ring slings” with my kids. When I first got it, I despaired of ever figuring it out. I just couldn’t see having my baby in it all crumpled up like she was. But fortunately I was able to take a class and was shown how to use it properly. Definitely was a life saver as a new mom.
Sometimes you just have to wonder – if folks have to be protected from themselves by regulations and laws all the time (instead of being taught the right way to do it) are we just dumbing things down, instead of improving them?