One Million Infantino Baby Slings Recalled After Three Infant Deaths

On March 24, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of one million Infantino “SlingRider” and “Wendy Bellissimo” infant slings. The agency advises consumers to immediately stop using these slings for infants younger than four months of age due to a risk of suffocation.  Parents should not attempt to fix these carriers.

The CPSC is aware of three reports of deaths that occurred in these slings in 2009; a 7-week-old infant in Philadelphia, Pa.; a 6-day-old infant in Salem, Ore.; and a 3-month-old infant in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The slings were sold between January of 2003 and March of 2010 at Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, Target, Babies “R” Us, BJ’s Wholesale, various baby and children’s stores and other retailers nationwide, and on the Web at Amazon.com, for between $25 and $30.

For information, including how to receive a free replacement product, read the CPSC recall notice.
The CPSC recently issued a warning about the use of sling carriers for babies. All slings, no matter the manufacturer, can pose two different types of suffocation hazards to babies. In the first few months of life, babies cannot control their heads because of weak neck muscles. The sling’s fabric can press against an infant’s nose and mouth, blocking the baby’s breathing and rapidly suffocating a baby within a minute or two. Additionally, where a sling keeps the infant in a curled position bending the chin toward the chest, the airways can be restricted, limiting the oxygen supply. The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate.