A baby coroner in west London has highlighted the dangers of using baby slings after a six-week-old infant died while being breastfed. James Alderman died after collapsing within the baby carrier worn by his mother. An inquest into his death discovered that the baby had been placed in an unsafe position within the sling. Despite the rapidly increasing popularity of baby slings, there is very little safety information available for parents to consult, which has led to a call for industry standards.
Writing in her Prevention of Future Deaths Report, the coroner called for action to be taken after discovering that there was no advice available for parents about the risks of breastfeeding very young infants within slings. The report recommends the creation of visual guidance illustrating ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ sling positions.
The coroner’s report was shared with a number of potential stakeholders, including a baby carrier manufacturer and a baby sling manufacturer, as well as the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care.
The Lullaby Trust, a charity that provides guidance on safe sleep positions for babies, recommends the use of slings that hold infants in an upright position where the parent can observe their baby at all times and ensure that the baby’s airways are unobstructed
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