[Camellia]

Can a baby suffocate in a sling? I was just doing some cleaning with my daughter sleeping in my sling (Maya wrap) and I was so paranoid. She is 9 weeks old. She loves to be upright on my chest and will sleep for a long time this way in the sling. When I'm moving around though her face gets buried in my breasts. I am large breasted and it just seems like she can't get proper oxygen this way.

Any thoughts?

 

[kate-astrophe]

I don't really have a solid answer for your question, because it's something that used to concern me too when my dd was little. But there was a study published testing the blood oxygen levels of babies in slings vs. babies in strollers, and there was no difference. I'll try to find a link for you.

-Kate

 

[Ravin]

When my DD was that little she preferred to have her face buried. Put the fabric up to your face. You can still breathe. It's very breathable fabric. Your DD won't suffocate, and you can feel her breathing at all times so you'd notice if she stopped or was in distress.

 

[Kim22]

I think if she couldn't breathe, she'd wake up and move around, right? Maybe? I guess I don't know!

 

[BlueBelle]

I think if she were having a hard time breathing, she'd struggle? I only base this on the fact that my Peyton has a horrendous head cold, and her poor little nose is all stuffed up. She wiggles something fierce when she starts to doze off and can't breathe through her nose!

 

[Electra375]

I think being aware of a potential issue is better than ignorance to it.

I've only ever heard of a baby dying from heat exhaustion in a bjorn type carrier.

My little one turns immediately if she gets her nose stuffed with my big boobs nursing, shocked me the first time it happened. I was nursing her with her on my lap trying to type on this darn computer.

 

[Tupelo Honey]

Yeah, I would say go with your instinct. One thing you might do is reposition your baby once she falls asleep so she is in more of a cradled position. That way her face would be open to the air and you could see her better. It's important to be mindful of a baby's airflow no matter what the are in, even just your arms. The aap recently released a statemnt that babies should spend as little time as possible in carseats, swings, and any apparatus that holds them upright for at least the first four to six weeks, especially preemies. It has to do with muscle tone and how it affects breathing.