Key facts
- Experts are calling for improved safety guidance for baby slings.
- Unsafe use of baby slings is linked to accidental infant deaths.
- Risks include suffocation and falls.
- Nearly 90% of parents surveyed bought slings or carriers online.
- A six-week-old boy died while using a sling.
Baby sleep experts at Durham University are calling for improved safety guidance for baby slings following the death of a six-week-old boy who died during hands-free breastfeeding. The researchers surveyed 1,470 parents of babies under one year old and found that nearly nine out of ten purchased a sling or carrier online. Unsafe use of these products has been linked to accidental infant deaths, primarily due to suffocation or falls. The experts emphasize the need for better guidance for new parents to mitigate these risks.