Newborn's death sparks sling warning

edited September 2011 in Current Events
The death of a newborn who was being carried in a baby sling has caused experts to warn the carriers could cause suffocation.

The two-day-old South Australia boy was in a cloth sling under his mother's clothing when she noticed he had stopped breathing and felt cold.

An autopsy was inconclusive but did state the sling was a risk factor in the boy's death, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Two well-regarded doctors have since written to the Medical Journal of Australia saying some baby slings could lead to suffocation, particularly as there are no international manufacturing standards.

Roger Byard, a professor of pathology at the University of Adelaide, and John Gilbert, a senior specialist forensic pathologist at Forensic Science SA, warned babies could be at risk of suffocation if they were positioned with their chin to their chest or if they mouth and nose were covered.

They suggested parents constantly keep an eye on their babies when using slings to make sure their head is facing outwards and that nothing was covering their face.

:-(

Comments

  • That's so sad :'-(
  • I would never use one of those..I always felt they were unsafe!
  • So sad I use a abfa 1 I wouldn't use it if he was small cause my hoobs would suffocate him poor bubba
  • I'd never use it under my clothes
  • edited September 2011
    Mm they recommend not using any slings till baby.is 4kg. I heard this report on the way to kids swomming lesson n cried rest of the way
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • I used one with my son but always rested a hand on him to give him extra support and I never had a problem... I dont know why anyone would put it under clothing though since they have padding etc to keep baby warm and secure
  • Rip bubba iv been watching the news it wasn't on there poor bubba
  • I bought one cause I wanted to try it out and my hubbys like 'uh, no' and threw it in the donation box.
  • That is so terrible that a child lost its life, but Why was the baby under her clothes? I've never heard of anyone doing that. And I don't want to sound mean but isnt it a no brainer if the babys face is covered that suffocation will happen? Why did this sound like a good idea to her? In a sling under her clothes? I'm sorry for that babys family. Losing a child is a terrible event. I'm sure she didn't do it on purpose. She was trying to have her baby close to her and it could have happened to anyone. But better judgement should have been used
  • I've always felt they were unsafe.
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