Baby wearing safety

The CPSC today issued a fairly positive statement, and clearly a better attitude about babywearing than was previously expressed.

CPSC recommends that parents and caregivers:

Make sure you can see your baby’s face or eyes in the sling and that your baby can see you. Also, you should place the baby’s face at or above the rim of a sling or wrap so that their face is visible.

After nursing your baby, change the baby’s position in the sling, so that the baby’s face is at or above the rim of a sling or wrap and that their face is visible and clear of fabric and the mother’s body. You should be vigilant about frequently checking the baby in a sling.

Yup. Pretty much what everyone who sells slings individually like me has been saying since time began. (I don’t think stores, even small ones, by and large do a good job with education.) The problem remains that, like with anything, you can’t prevent stupidity, and you can’t prevent mistakes.

My favorite part of the statement is this: “This warning is not intended to characterize all slings as being dangerous to babies.” This represents a marked change from the last CPSC statement on babywearing.

The BCIA also issued a statement today, agreeing with the CPSC, and adding:

We remind parents and caregivers that the practice of babywearing keeps babies in the safest place possible — a parent’s arms with baby’s face visible to the carrying adult. For additional information on babywearing safety, please visit the BCIA website at http://www.babycarrierindustryalliance.org.”

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