Definitely not. We are thinking about a second, and I can't imagine not using our sling again. When she was tiny (less than 3 months), the sling allowed me us to go out to dinner and she would sleep peacefully on my chest. The warning might make me more vigilant about keeping her a bit more upright, though.

As she got older, I used a wrap for front carries - these are probably not the ones they are worried about for suffocation? The wrap allowed me to travel with her alone and get through security without having to unwrap because it had no metal parts.

There are so many options for babywearing these days that some of them have to be safe...

Stop using it? Thats an insane question. There's a safety warning with plastic bags, with detergents. Does that mean we stop using them? Most safety warnings state the obvious, and unfortunately in these United States, are aimed at the consumers who put little or no thought into things that they use.

Baby slings are an outstanding innovation. Apparently they have been in use in the east for years.

Will I stop using my sling? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Somebody out there must not be educated on using a sling or for caring for their baby. I cannot vision a baby being endangered by my "SlingEZee® " sling. With my little darling held close to my breast, I know much more about his well being than I ever would if I were carrying him in some remote device such as a back carrier or a stroller.

Is this just another example of big government telling me how I should raise my child? Are there any documented deaths from suffocation while in a sling? If so, what was the sling made from, a plastic dry cleaners bag?

My recommendation is to continue using your sling and tell the government to "bug out" of your life!

The CPSC is going to issue a warning, but for the most part it is in reference to a few accidents that occured a few years ago. Those slings were quickly recalled and taken off the market.

As a retailer of baby carriers, slings and wraps, and a father who uses many different types at home, I know first hand how important the safety of these products is. I also know it is a top priority of all the manufactures in the industry, and an enoour amount of time is spent ensuring it stays that way.

Most baby carrier products come with precise instructions, as well as an 800 support number if mothers/fathers have any questions. If worn correctly, 99% of the baby carriers, slings and wraps on the market are completely safe to use.

Kyle K
Founder of www.organicbabycarriers.net

It would appear that slings have a better track record than say, hotdogs, flying contraptions, cribs, cars, baby swings, strollers, cat litter tubs, buckets, cleaning chemicals, etc. In fact, with just 14 reported deaths in 20 years, sling use appears to be about as safe as you can get.

My husband and I used hammock-type slings with all three of our children, my niece and nephew when they were babies, our neighbor's children when we watched them, etc. No harm came to any of them. Our children screamed if they were put in carseats, strollers, grocery cart seats, bouncy seats--anywhere but the sling. I could nurse them, and they would fall asleep content against my body. No one gave me dirty looks because my child was screaming or grabbing at things while I tried to grocery shop or run errands.

If the CPSC is so concerned about infant and child deaths, why don't they issue a blanket recall on vehicles which, on average, kill 43,000 people each year! That's a crapload more than 0.7!

The problem with the SlingRider and other bag style slings is that it is nearly impossible to achieve safe babywearing with them. As Babywearing International states,

* Check to ensure that your baby is not curled up tightly in a chin-to-chest position; this compresses your baby's airway. Making sure there is a fingers' width or two between their chin and chest is a good guide.
* Make sure your baby's back is straight and supported.
* Monitor your child at all times. Make sure nothing is obstructing their face.

If those guidelines are followed, a sling is safe. The problem is that in the Slingrider, you pretty much CAN'T wear safely. But there are LOTS of safe ways to babywear- like a good, adjustable ring sling, or a mei tai, or an Ergo, or a Beco, or a wrap... it isn't that babywearing is dangerous, or that slings are dangerous, but that unsafe carrier designs, like the slingrider, and unsafe wearing practices are dangerous. Parents need to educate themselves, and look for traditional, safe carriers that have been used for generations, instead of the bag slings available at the big box stores.