Three Babies Die in Slings in UK

Most baby carriers strap the infant to the adult's body in an upright position with the head fully exposed, but some slings, such as Infantino's SlingRider which was recalled in the UK yesterday, carry the baby curled horizontally against the body.

Photo: Three Babies Die in Slings in UK

Young babies who cannot control the movement of their heads can suffocate in two minutes if the fabric of these slings blocks their nose and mouth, the US consumer watchdog has warned.

"The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate," the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said. "Make sure the infant's face is not covered and is visible at all times to the sling's wearer," according toTelegraph.co.uk

According to The Vancouver Sun, three deaths have been linked to the Infantino and Bellisimo slings, but there are still plenty available on Craigslist.

"If I had known, I would never have posted it," said Cummings, who said she is a meticulous researcher when it comes to the safety of products such as the cribs and carriers she uses with her kids. The sling was a baby gift. Cummings tried the sling, but used it only once with her newborn son.

"I was uncomfortable with his position in the sling. I was worried because I couldn't see him or whether he was breathing."Cummings said she was going to remove the Craigslist posting.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said it had linked the Sling-Rider and Wendy Bellissimo slings, made by Californian company Infantino, to the deaths of three US babies in 2009.

Yesterday, Infantino put out a statement saying it was recalling the products across the UK, Europe, the US and Canada. About 10,000 Sling-Riders were recalled in the UK, a million in the US and 15,000 in Canada, Mirror.co.uk reports.