There have been some really positive developments in baby sling safety in the past week since an AP story first alarmed so many dedicated babywearers.
First, manufacturers of baby carriers issued a joint statement on baby sling safety concerns.
They point out that an ASTM subcommittee started writing Sling Carrier Standards two years ago.
The vast benefits of babywearing should not be disregarded with the report of incidents from “bag-style” slings. The sponsors of this release make safer baby slings and carriers and have been active in the standard writing process and are dedicated to safety through engineering. “We see this as an opportunity to reach out and educate American consumers. We hope to provide valuable information allowing parents and caregivers to not only make informed buying decisions, but also to increase the awareness of how to properly wear children, especially babies, in baby slings and carriers,” says Kristen DeRocha, ASTM Subcommittee Chair.
This release was sponsored by Hotslings, Maya Wrap, Moby Wrap, Wrapsody, Gypsymama, Together Be, Kangaroo Korner, Taylormade Slings, Scootababy, Bellala Baby, Catbird Baby, SlingEZee, ZoloWear, HAVA, SlingRings, and Sakura Bloom.
You can find them on Facebook as Babywearing Manufacturers United.
Second, a national conversation has started about babywearing. Not all of the news stories stop to mention the benefits of babywearing, but there are organizations making an effort to focus concerns where they belong, on one style of sling, and to emphasize that babywearing, when done safely, is a great benefit to parent and baby.
Babywearing International (BWI), for example, was quoted in an ABC News story today. BWI has issued a statement on babywearing safety yesterday as well.
Babywearing International welcomes the CPSC warning as an opportunity to better educate caregivers and the general public about babywearing safety. We remain committed to promoting babywearing as a universally accepted practice, with numerous benefits for both babies and their caregivers.
While you are Facebooking, follow Babywearing International as well as Babywearing Manufacturers United.
Those baby slings and other baby carriers that have been “engineered, developed and tested by parents” are safe to use with your baby. Keep in mind basic babywearing safety, and hold your baby tight.
