Sling blamed for infant death

[mom2snugbugs]

This happened in my city. Wondering if anyone saw this. I don't even know how this is possible.

Possible Triggers-

http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local...s3t5KUNDg.cspx

I used a NoJo ring sling for both of my DCs since birth. Never had any problems.

[woodchick]

Those Infantino slings are notoriously bad. And they are structurally different from the NoJo.

I feel horrible for this family.

[eclipse]

Well, it could have been a SIDS incident that just happened to occur in a sling. I have an internet friend whose baby had what the doctors termed a "near SIDS incident" while in a sling. She firmly believes that her son would have died if he wasn't on her at the time and able to call for help and being resusitation immediately. Her story isn't completely happy, as her son ended up with severe brain damage and died 2 years later from complications related to the incident. There was also a mom in my youngest son's DDC here at MDC who lost her baby to SIDS while wearing him in a sling - I don't think there was ever a suggestion that the sling played a part in his death. Again, I think this mother noticed right away because she was carrying him rather than him being asleep in another room or being pushed in a stroller.
However, I know that there is some concern, even in the baby wearing community, about re-breathing in certain types of slings -and I think the sling that was used by this family might be one of the styles that are of concern (heavy material, lots of padding, etc. I can also see how a baby improperly positioned in a cradle hold could have their neck twisted in a way that could cut of breathing. All I know is that I'm very sorry for the family. They must be heartbroken.

[fruitfulmomma]

I don't even know how this is possible.

Positional asphyxiation... New Native warns against it on their website - http://www.newnativeinc.com/instruction.asp

This is the reason I will only use carriers that hold the baby upright.

[mom2snugbugs]

I also thought of a SIDS situation. I feel so bad for this family.

[russsk]

Originally Posted by fruitfulmomma

Positional asphyxiation... New Native warns against it on their website - http://www.newnativeinc.com/instruction.asp

This is the reason I will only use carriers that hold the baby upright.

I had a New Native, and I can definitely see how a very young infant could suffocate in one if you aren't very careful. I was never comfortable using it until ds was older. Even then I didn't care for it much. My ring sling is much better.

[barefootmama0709]

this is really a heartbreaking incident. I hope that it isn't used to make a case against babywearing in general-there are people out there who are seriously against it (though I can't fathom why).

[prothyraia]

There's a lot of information at http://babyslingsafety.blogspot.com/ about this sort of thing.

[4Blessings]

So sad. I'm always checking my LO's position and making sure she's breathing while babywearing since I've read a few stories like this one in the past. I hate seeing another loss

[Hannah32]

My SIL gave me a ring sling. How do those work with these issues? I know myself; I'll be checking every two seconds.

[woodchick]

Originally Posted by Hannah32

My SIL gave me a ring sling. How do those work with these issues? I know myself; I'll be checking every two seconds.

This video shows a vertical, chest to chest hold in a ring sling. This is the only way I liked carrying my girls when they were tiny.

There's less of a breathing issue when they aren't tucked into the pouch of the sling.

[carmel23]

so very sad.

[Quirky]

The saddest thing is that this death was absolutely preventable. The Infantino SlingRider and similar duffel bag style carriers, when used as directed, are inherently unsafe because they a) push baby's chin towards the chest, thus increasing the risk of positional asphyxia, and b) enclose the baby in fabric, thus increasing the risk of rebreathing.

Infantino was notified as far back as October 2006 about the problems with its design, and chose to do nothing. Nor did the CPSC take any action when provided the same information.

There are confirmed deaths of babies in good brands of slings as well -- it's all too possible to use a great sling unsafely. It's not the sling design per se but its unsafe use that puts baby into a chin to chest position that's dangerous.

I've just started a Facebook fan page on babywearing safety that's intended to provide information on the risks of dangerous designs and unsafe wearing positions, as well as safe babywearing positioning information:

http://www.facebook.com/BabywearingSafety

[eclipse]

Quirky, i just tried to go to your page, but I got a Page Not Found error.

[Quirky]

Try now! I fixed the link.

[eclipse]

Got it!

[bandgeek]

I had one of those when DS was a newborn. It was AWFUL. Basically, it was designed so the baby sinks down and has little support and they end up with their chin to their chest, which can block off their airway. Thankfully I noticed how bad that position was and only used it once....supporting DS the whole time so he wouldn't slump down like that.

[gretchikin]

my DD2 even as a newborn never liked the cradle hold. She's always been vertical. And I'm checking her breathing constantly if her head is turned away from me. I usually use a wrap but have a RS too--wouldn't cradle hold in that either!

So sad for this family but can't figure out what the "specifics" are that they're not telling...

[CallMeMommy]

Originally Posted by bandgeek

I had one of those when DS was a newborn. It was AWFUL. Basically, it was designed so the baby sinks down and has little support and they end up with their chin to their chest, which can block off their airway. Thankfully I noticed how bad that position was and only used it once....supporting DS the whole time so he wouldn't slump down like that.

Ditto, practically word-for-word. I hated that thing and wouldn't even pass it on to someone else.

[RunnerDuck]

I had a Maya wrap and I never felt comfortable with my son in it as a newborn because he always ended up scrunched and I was afraid he couldn't breathe. I think this could be SIDS or it could be something that could have happened in ANY sling.

I remember voicing concerns about this when my son was little and people would say babies are used to being scrunched because they are scrunched in the womb... but I never felt safe using that sling until he got bigger and I could use it for hip carries. Babies don't need to breathe in utero so the whole used to being scrunched thing never made sense to me. I stopped using it until he was bigger. Thought I might try again with my girls but only ever used upright positions/carriers for them.

Not saying the family is to blame... but if the sling is to blame... not convinced it's got anything to do with the sling itself so much as issues inherit to slings and newborns. And of course it could have also been a SIDS case and had nothing at all to do with anything.