Health Warning about Baby Wearing

Baby wearing has been gaining in popularity over the last few years as a good way to maintain closeness and reassure your baby while leaving you with hands free for other things. This practice has been something both mum and baby enjoy but recently there have been a number of babies who have died while mum was out walking with her baby "safe" in a fabric sling.

The slings concerned are the soft fabric ones which do not have frames and are designed to carry baby in a lying down position rather than being held upright. The greatest risk, it is suggested, is to premature babies or babies with a low birth weight, babies from a multiple birth or babies with respiratory conditions.
The suffocation risks are linked to incorrect positioning of baby;-

1) Either the baby is in the C position with their chin tucked into the chest blocking their airway.
                                                               OR
2) The baby's nose and mouth is covered by the fabric itself.

Over the past 20 years 13 babies have died in the USA while being carried in a sling. 12 of them were less than four months old. The majority were premature or were experiencing breathing problems or had a cold.

The safety advice is as follows;-
Be sure your sling is tight
The adult "wearing baby" should be able to look down and see their baby's face.
The adult can kiss baby's face by tipping their head forward.
The baby should never be curled up so their chin is forced onto their chest as this restricts breathing.

The simple mnemonic is TICKS
Tight
In view at all times
Close enough to kiss
Keep chin off chest
Support back