Babywearing is not appropriate in certain activities. Use common sense. If an activity may present a hazard to your baby, do not do it while babywearing. \n\nDo not use your baby carrier during activities such as cooking when there is a chance the baby may reach for or be exposed to dangerous items such as knives, hot beverages, and stoves. \n\nDo not use your baby carrier during athletic activities such as jogging, skiing, cycling which could be hazardous to your baby. Additionally, you may strain your own back or lose balance, resulting in serious injury to you or the baby. [[Cyclic activities]] may injure your child. \n\n[[Flammability]] requires that you use extreme caution around heat sources. \n\nYour baby carrier may not be specifically designed for use in [[Water]].\n\nWhen you [[Travel]] the safest place for your baby is usually in an approved car seat, not your baby carrier.\n\nPay attention to your child while [[Breastfeeding]].\n
Please remember to [[Inspect Your Baby Carrier]]. \n\n[[Be aware]] as you wear your baby and pay attention to [[Security]]. We recommend that your baby be at least a year old before using a [[Back Carry]]. Pay attention to your baby, especially to baby's [[Breathing and Air Flow]]. If your baby falls asleep in your baby carrier, please be sure that your baby is breathing normally. \n\nDo not put extra items in your carrier when babywearing. If your carrier has a pocket, items which could injure or cause discomfort to your baby should not be placed in it. \n\nRemember that babywearing is not appropriate for certain [[Activities]] and [[Travel]] situations.\n\nConsider the [[Clothing]] your baby is wearing and pay attention to your child while [[Breastfeeding]].\n\nLearn about [[SIDS]] and [[Baby's Developing Spine]]\n\n
An adult's spine has two curves in it. These curves are not yet developed in newborn children. They develop as your baby gains head control and learns to sit. There is concern that certain popular types of baby carriers are not good for babies' backs. You can learn more about this by reading the following article: <html><a rel=nofollow href="http://www.continuum-concept.org/reading/spinalStress.html" target="_blank">Infant Carriers and Spinal Stress</a></html>.
Your child should not be worn on your back unless your he or she is capable of communicating with you when something is wrong. While riding on your back, your child should not be allowed to hold anything which could become a choking hazard. Do not get your self in a place where your child may be able to reach for things he or she should not have. \n\nWe recommend that your child be at least one year old before being worn on your back.\n
When wearing your baby please remember that you are bulkier. Be cautious around door frames, revolving doors, low lying tree limbs, and other objects likely to obstruct your path. Give yourself extra room to manuver with the added bulk of a child on your person.\n\nWhile babywearing your child will have the opportunity to reach for many things. If your child is being worn on your back, you may not see this happen. Be aware of your surroundings and do not let your child reach for anything which could be hazardous.
Do not use a nipple shield when breastfeeding your baby in your carrier. Be sure your baby can breathe adequately while nursing – you may have to hold your breast away from baby’s nose. If your baby falls asleep while breastfeeding, please ensure that your baby is breathing normally.\n\nYou can reduce the risk of [[Mastitis]] by making sure that your baby carrier does not dig into your breast tissue.
Just as you are careful in how our put your baby to sleep, you need to be careful with your baby carrier. \n\nPosition your baby so that the he/she has good air flow. Do not allow your baby’s chin to sag down to her/his chest as this could block the baby’s air passages. When carrying young babies in a reclining position, always carry the baby face up. \n\nDo not allow anything around the baby’s face which may restrict the baby’s ability to breathe or cause the baby to breathe exhaled air – this is particularly important for premature babies, infants, and very small, very young, and/or very weak babies, and/or if you have large breasts. \n\nCheck your baby’s breathing regularly. If your baby falls asleep in your baby carrier, verify that baby is breathing normally. \n\nWhen tightening your baby carrier, do not tighten it so much that baby’s breathing could be restricted.\n\nThe following peer reviewed article .....
If you are new to babywearing, you will probably find yourself using some muscles more than you have used them in the past. To reduce the risk of muscle soreness and injury build your strength gradually by wearing your baby for short periods of time. As your strength increases you can wear your baby for longer periods.
If your baby is wearing loose fitting clothing or shoes, be careful when putting baby in the carrier or when repositioning him so that his garment or shoes don’t twisted or get caught in the carrier. Failure to do so may result in injury to your child.\n\nPlease remember that your body is very warm and your baby may not need to be dressed as warmly as when she or he is not in your baby carrier. Do not allow your baby to become uncomfortably warm in your carrier. Overheating an infant may increase the risk for [[SIDS]].
Baby’s body may not be ready for the cyclic pattern of activities such as running or jogging. Babywearing during these activities may injure baby in the neck, spine or brain.
Babywearing is like many other activities. The benefits are numerous but it is still necessary to follow safe practices. Thank you for taking time to review this page.\n\nThe information presented here is given in good faith based on our best knowledge and experience. Please discuss it with your health care practitioner.
Not all baby carriers are flame retardent or fire resistant. Do not use a baby carrier while cooking or near open flame or other heat sources. If the carrier has a tail, use caution and do not expose the tail to open flame or heat sources.
Welcome to our Babywearing Safety Wiki page. No matter what type of baby carrier you use, you will find helpful information here. Please click the links at the left to get started.
Inspect your baby carrier before each use. Check fabric, seams, fasteners, rings, and all other components. DO NOT place a baby in the carrier if there is damage to ANY component.
Learning to use a baby carrier is like learning to ride a bicycle. It takes practice but quickly becomes second nature. \n\nConsider practicing with a doll or a stuffed animal before you practice with your baby. When you start practicing with your baby make sure he/she is rested and fed before you begin. \n\nPractice next to a couch or the bed. It is a good idea to use a mirror or to have a partner help you, especially if you are learning to wear your child on your back. \n\nKeep an arm around your baby until you are confident. \n\n[[Build Your Strength Gradually]].
[[Disclaimer]]\n\n[[SIDS]]\n\n[[Activities]]\n\n[[Baby Safety]]\n\n[[Your Safety]]\n\n[[Learning]]
Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast. It usually results from an infection or a plugged duct. It causes flu-like syptoms, and the breast is usually hot and swollen. Anything that restricts the flow of milk may cause mastitis. Medical care is recommended. More information about\nmastitis has been published by La Leche League: <html><a rel=nofollow href="http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVMarApr93p19.html" target="_blank">Mastitis--Plugged Ducts and Breast Infections</a></html>.\n
Positional asphyxia, is a form of asphyxia which occurs when someone's position prevents them from breathing adequately. This can happen to babies when their chins are allowed to droop down to their chest.
A possible cause for infant death is that when an infant sleeps sleeping facedown (prone), "rebreathing" of expired air caught in the soft porous bedding occurs. SIDS has decreased remarkabley since recommendations have been made to put baby's to sleep on their backs.
These are a few recommendations from the American SIDS Institute.: \nPlace infants to sleep on their backs on a firm mattress with nothing else in the bed.\nSleeping infants should not be overdressed. \nDo not expose infants to tobacco smoke or people with respiratory infections.\nBreast-feed whenever possible.\nDiscuss with your health care practioneer the possibility of using a home monitoring system for high risk infants.\n\nMore information is available from the [[American SIDS Instsitute|http://www.sids.org/nprevent.htm]]
SIDS is the sudden death of an infant under one year of age which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history. (Willinger et al, 1991).\n\nMost SIDS deaths occur when baby is sleeping, but SIDS can happen anywhere. It has even happened to babies being held in their parent's arms. \n\nMost babies who have a breathing problem will wake up and cry. It is suspected that same babies have not yet developed this involuntary reaction and are therefore at greater risk for SIDS.\n\n[[Rebreathing]] and [[Positional Asphyxia]] may cause SIDS. You can take steps to [[Reduce the Risk of SIDS]]. We also recommend that when you use a baby carrier you pay attention to your baby's [[Breathing and Air Flow]].
With many popular baby carriers, your baby is not tied in. You must pay attention to your baby's security. \n\nMake sure it is snug but not so tight that breathing could be restricted. It should come up high enough across baby's back and be snug enough so that baby cannot arch back and fall out. \n\nFor carriers such as slings and pouches, when wearing your baby on your hip, be sure the fabric comes out to baby's knees. \n\n Failure to use your carrier properly or to pay attention to the child could cause the baby to fall out of the carrier and result in serious injury or death.
for your baby and you
Babywearing Safety
Baby carriers should never be substitued for an approved car seat. \n\nAlthough you are allowed to hold a child who is not yet two on your lap while flying, this is not safe. Parent's probalby will not be able to hold onto their babies during severe turbulence. Babies could be seriously injured or killed as they are tossed through the cabin. Children have died in survivable landings when they were sitting on their parents laps. Parents who have managed to hold on their babies have ended up crushing them to death. \n\nThe safest way to travel by air with a baby is to get an extra seat, strap your car seat into it and keep baby in the car seat. \n\nFor more information please see [[CPSafety|http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/airplanetravel.aspx]]
Some parents shower with baby in a baby carrier or use baby carriers in swimming pools and other bodies of water. You should be aware that most baby carriers are not designed for use in water. Water and soap may create a environment in which it is very easy to slip or drop your baby. Bacteria may multiply in baby carriers left to dry in damp, dark places such as a bathroom with the lights turned off. It may be difficult to avoid dangerous situations when wearing a baby on your back in a body of water.
For carriers that place baby's weight on only one of your shoulders, change shoulders frequently to avoid stress to your spine. \n\n"The carrying of young children can surely take its toll on parents. Some practical advice is to use our legs to lift with as opposed to bending over with our backs. It is important to bring our bodies to the level of the child before we lift do any lifting. Many injuries to the spine occur from stooping forward. Another critical factor to avid injury in lifting is to face the child/ car seat/ whatever straight on. Any twist or rotation in our spine while trying to lift increases our susceptibility for injury significantly."\n\n"Mothers who have just given birth and have relatively unstable joints in their pelvis from the birth process by are at even greater risk for injury."\n\nThe above quotes were originally published at <html><a rel=nofollow href="http://www.Mothering.com" target="_blank">Mothering</a></html>.\nAuthor: Jeanne Ohm, DC Executive Coordinator of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association: <html><a rel=nofollow href="http://www.icpa4kids.org" target="_blank">www.icpa4kids.org</a></html>.\n\nAfter childbirth the joints of a mother's pelvis are relatively unstable and the mother is at greater risk for injury. She needs to be careful when lifting.\n\nDo not bend over to lift. Instead, bring your body to the level of your child and lift with your legs. Face your child as you lift. Any twist or rotation in your spine while trying to lift increases your susceptibility to injury.\n\n
To avoid muscle soreness, [[Build Your Strength Gradually]]. \n\nRemember that when you are baby wearing, your center of gravity is higher and it is easier to lose your balance. \n\nSwitching shoulders and proper lifiting techiniques will help you avoid injuries to [[Your Back]].\n\nIf you are breastfeeding, do not allow your baby carrier to dig into your breast tissue because this may lead to [[Mastitis]].