Doctors have issued a warning for parents using baby slings, after the tragic death of three infants and near-deaths of many more.
Doctors issued the warning after three infants died from suffocation in South Australia since 2010.
SA Health’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Doctor, Nicola Spurrier, said each tragedy was the result of holding the baby incorrectly, and each was entirely preventable.
Doctors have issued a warning for parents using baby slings, after the tragic death of three infants and near-deaths of many more
She said each baby died due to having its face pressed against the person wearing the sling, or having its breathing restricted due to being curled up in a c-shape.
‘That position, whilst it might be comfortable in the womb, it’s certainly not a comfortable of safe position for babies once they’re born,’ she told Nine News.
The warning comes after an Adelaide baby was found cold and lifeless after being placed in a sling underneath his mother’s shirt.
In a letter to the Medical Journal of Australia, published in 2011, experts said tests concluded there was no other explanation for the two-day-old baby’s death.
‘That position, whilst it might be comfortable in the womb, it’s certainly not a comfortable of safe position for babies once they’re born,’ Dr Nicola Spurrier said
Kidsafe CEO Holly Fitzgerald said parents should always be able to see their baby’s face while in a sling.
‘It’s really important parents always observe baby’s nose and mouth, ensuring the airway is clear,’ she said.
‘Just looking for signs like baby squirming or being disrupted int here, a blue colour or tinge to their skin.’
Doctors also warned parents against following the advice of online hackers, when it came to slings.
Kidsafe CEO Holly Fitzgerald said parents should always be able to see their baby’s face while in a sling
They urged people to follow the manurfacturers guide, to ensure they followed the safest possible procedure.
Doctors also urged parents to steer clear of buying slings online, or second-hand.
Following the deaths of three infants in South Australia, there is now drive to bring in safety standards for slings.
After 16 deaths were attributed to slings in the US and Canada, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission was also called to introduce mandatory standards.