Gov't to Issue Warnings on Slings Due to Deaths - Page 2

[littleplum]

So sad.

[almadianna]

I honestly knew it would happen. There had to be a backlash to babywearing... there always is to "new" things. I put it in quotes because it totally is not new but well... most people dont know that.

I would just urge everyone to do what you can to educate those around you about this and let it pass, because it will. Slings are safe. We know it.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by almadianna

Slings are safe. We know it.

I just wanted to add, as with everything else, When Used Properly! I think its more of a reminder to new parents that baby's DON'T come with instructions, but the carriers do, so we should READ them!

[cchrissyy]

Originally Posted by AllyRae

I wish they made a distinction--the slings that caused the deaths last year were the bag-type slings you can buy at TRU.

I dropped by BRU yesterday and they still had those scary Infantino bag slings for sale. How is that legal, selling a product that everybody knows to be unsafe even when you exactly follow the instructions?

[ber]

Originally Posted by milk_maker

There's a really good post on TBW where a woman checked oxygen saturation levels on babies in that style of carrier and the babies always desatted.

I think that's where I originally got this link: http://babyslingsafety.blogspot.com/....html?spref=fb

[crunchy_mama]

I had to come and check the info here- I was just told Friday that I was going to kill my baby because baby carriers kill babies and the kicker I was using an Ergo. At the time I hadn't even heard the info- as I don't have cable and have been off the internet lately- so couldn't formulate any reply. I was thinking at the time though she must have been talking about some other type of carrier. That is the crappy thing about such things the info gets so distorted that people end up thinking that all baby carriers are unsafe or all carriers. this is why I guess my mil has been going on and on about how she likes my Ergo(seemingly saying as opposed to the other carriers)- so I had a chance to explain it to her as well. It is certain brands and certain ways to carry- I have never carried a baby in that type of carry anyway.

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by KatWrangler

Does that formula figure just for the US or does it include all those kids that died in China?

Well I posted without links which I hate to do but I'm on a backup comp. But all my searches were for US only.

Or else that formula figure would be pretty darn high.

[Comtessa]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mama

I had to come and check the info here- I was just told Friday that I was going to kill my baby because baby carriers kill babies and the kicker I was using an Ergo. At the time I hadn't even heard the info- as I don't have cable and have been off the internet lately- so couldn't formulate any reply. I was thinking at the time though she must have been talking about some other type of carrier. That is the crappy thing about such things the info gets so distorted that people end up thinking that all baby carriers are unsafe or all carriers.

Crunchy_mama, the same exact thing happened to me a few days ago! I had my 10mo in the Ergo and a stranger came up to me in the store with a concerned expression on his face and said, "I've been hearing all these things about baby carriers, how they aren't safe." We were on vacation and I had unplugged from the news for a few days, so I had no idea what he was talking about ... I assumed it was the Infantino slings that were recalled a few years ago for the faulty buckle. I just said, "no, this isn't the kind of carrier that they're worried about, this one's perfectly safe and she loves it." He nodded and said, "yes, it certainly looks like she's comfortable," and left it at that. It was actually a pretty good conversation, he was very nice about it.

When DD was born, I had three carriers that were loaned/given to me: a BabyBjorn, a fitted pouch sling, and one of those Infantino bag carriers. The first few times we took her out, we used either the pouch carrier or the bag. She seemed comfortable enough, but her breathing was labored and I couldn't see her little face when she was in there, so it didn't feel like a very good idea. But, I was determined to wear that baby, so I used them anyway. DH said, "this doesn't seem safe, I don't like this babywearing thing," and I (staunchly defending babywearing) said, "if they weren't safe then they wouldn't make them. They're made for babies, of course they're safe."

Now I feel like I have to apologize to DH, who was absolutely right. And, thank heaven that I didn't rationalize myself into harming my baby by not listening to my intuition about the slings I was using. I quickly got rid of all three of the carriers I had, and invested instead in a lightweight cotton ring sling, an Ergo and a Moby -- a highly preferable triumverate.

I'm looking forward to listening to the Mothering radio show this afternoon about babywearing - hopefully they'll be able to set the record straight about safe and unsafe ways to wear a baby.

[almadianna]

"if they weren't safe then they wouldn't make them. They're made for babies, of course they're safe.

If anything good can come out of this whole debacle is that hopefully more people will understand that the above quote is not necessarily true. Many things are made that are not safe and we cannot trust that just because someone put it in a big box store it is.

This doesnt go just for slings but for anything especially things that are around our babies who really dont know how to protect themselves.

[justKate]

Originally Posted by almadianna

I honestly knew it would happen. There had to be a backlash to babywearing... there always is to "new" things. I put it in quotes because it totally is not new but well... most people dont know that.

I would just urge everyone to do what you can to educate those around you about this and let it pass, because it will. Slings are safe. We know it.

This is why it hurts me to hear this stuff. It really makes me sad. A woman audibly scoffed at me when i was grocery shopping with DD in her Ergo yesterday. Scoffed. She's 13 mos. old. IN AN ERGO.