Are baby slings and carriers safe

[jaks2]

I am a product design student carrying out research in to the use of baby slings and carriers. I am interested to if you have any concerns with regards to the safety of your child when using these products. If so what are they? Or maybe you do not use them solely because of safety concerns? Any answers would be a great help to my project. Thanks

[PinkPepper]

No ergonomic slings/carriers are perfectly safe.

I'd just worry about cheaper fakes or not correctly designed ones like

[popsalottle]

Most are safe if used correctly and you follow the "T.I.C.K.S" guidelines. Bag slings like premaxx carrier are not safe at all! Some of the brands making this design have been banned after causing infant deaths but that type of sling doesn't comply with the aforementioned guidelines. I think slings are like most other things, most are safe, a few aren't but it's generally the user that makes them dangerous by not following instructions correctly. Like pp said, you must also be careful of fakes/cheapies.

[likelytoasksillyquestions]

There was quite a big thing recently concerning poor (potentially unsafe) stitching on some WAHM buckle carriers - I think it was Snugiwraps. That made me stop and think a bit. But the good thing that came out of it was being much more confident (a) at identifying the safety features of structured carriers and (b) in the knowledge and proactiveness of the 'babywearing community' .

I've never felt unsafe with the slings I've used, though (buckles, ring sling, wovens and stretchies).

[peanutMD]

With my first child 7 years ago i was given a generic high street carrier which i used twice because it caused back ache and i felt like i had to hold my son as he was always leaning away which didn't feel secure.

I now carry my.7 month old in a Connecta which his her in a much better position which is good for both of us, i have no safety issues with this but i do check the webbing and buckles before each use just incase.

[drawsofdrawers]

I don't have a baby yet but I look at babies in those sling things and wonder how they don't suffocate, with their face in your chest! Are they ok in there?!

[peanutMD]

Draws i used to think the same but after attending sling meets and now wearing my little girl, i realise that the baby often lays their head with their ear to your chest so they can breath fine :)

There are also guidelines for baby wearers to do quick checks just to make sure but 9 times out of 1b the baby will sort themselves.

Remember on terms of evolution its a fairly recent fad to have babies away from you in a pram so humans have survived for hundreds of thousands of years being carried as infants and if you look into the positioning an ergonomic wrap just holds, them on you without disturbing the natural motions. Picture a baby lying curled up froggy legged on your belly/chest and this is how you will find a baby in a wrap :)