British sleep experts are calling for a campaign to ensure parents are given trusted guidance and specialist advice before buying baby carriers, their recent research finding that there is often inadequate safety information given to mothers when they buy the products.
In the study, led by Durham University, United Kingdom, and published in BMJ Paediatrics Open, the researchers noted that unsafe use of baby slings or carriers had been linked to occasional accidental deaths from suffocation and falls.
Suffocation can happen when a baby’s nose and mouth are pressed against the parent’s body or blocked by fabric, but can also happen when the baby slumps down inside the carrier and the windpipe is being pinched, obstructing the breathing.
The researchers said cases like these could be avoided with greater awareness around baby safety.
In December 2024, a British coroner had issued a warning about the dangers of baby slings after a six-week-old baby died during “hands-free” breastfeeding.
There is currently no evidence-based comprehensive national guidance on sling safety, despite increasing numbers of parents using them to carry their babies, and the study authors said manufacturers provide scant safety guidance.
After surveying 1 470 parents with babies under a year old, they wrote that guidance on choosing a sling or carrier and how to use it safely was rarely offered at the point of purchase, particularly when buying online.
Most families (89%) bought their sling or carrier online, with fewer than 3% receiving help from a virtual sales assistant or chat function.
Even when parents bought their sling in a physical shop, only 30% received advice. They generally learnt how to use them by reading the manufacturer’s instructions, from social media, websites and blogs, or from attending “sling libraries”, a popular concept across the United Kingdom.
At sling libraries, parents can borrow or hire slings and get safety guidance from consultants. When parents went through a sling library or “baby-wearing specialist”, the majority (76%) received personalised advice on choosing and using the product.
Professor Helen Ball, director of the Durham Infancy and Sleep Centre at Durham University, said: “Many parents are unaware of the safety guidance of these products.
“As most mothers start using them when their babies are very young and at their most vulnerable, it is crucial they know how to choose the most appropriate product and how to use it safely.
“Although deaths linked to using slings and carriers are not that common, they could be avoided with better access to guidance before or as soon as parents buy them.”
The researchers recommend safety information should include awareness of positional asphyxia, and the importance of active monitoring and safe feeding and sleeping during use.
Study details
Adult-worn sling and baby carrier safety: exploring parental practices, knowledge and information needs.
Rebecca Strong, Sophie Lovell-Kennedy, Laura Grieve, Helen Ball.
Published in BMJ Paediatrics Open on 3 June 2026
Abstract
Background
This project responds to concerns regarding infant deaths occurring in adult-worn slings and carriers (AWSC), the use of which is increasing in the UK. We aimed to explore how and why UK parents and carers use AWSC, their knowledge of AWSC-safety and where they find information about using AWSC.
Methods
An online survey for parents/carers about AWSC-use was designed in collaboration with a parent advisory group who also tested the survey usability. The survey was circulated via mail-lists and social media by the Durham Infancy and Sleep Centre, as well as AWSC-user groups and baby safety organisations.
Results
The survey captured 1470 responses from mainly white UK mothers aged 26–45 with infants under 12 months. 96% had used an AWSC for multiple reasons (mobility, bonding, soothing, being ‘hands-free’). Most AWSC-use began in early infancy; families purchased AWSC from physical or online shops. Manufacturers provided little safety guidance and many parents were unaware of specialist resources (eg, sling libraries). Social media, blogs and websites were popular sources of information. 25% of respondents were unfamiliar with existing UK AWSC safety guidance and a further 25% felt it lacked crucial information.
Conclusions
The survey outcomes highlight the importance of universal AWSC-safety information provision in pregnancy and early post-partum, targeted to mothers, fathers and other infant-carers. This should be disseminated via widely used and trusted platforms with signposting to specialist sources of support and guidance.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Baby sleep products linked to 200 deaths now banned in the US
Co-sleeping with your infant unsafe – American Academy of Paediatrics
Fisher-Price recall at urging of American Academy of Paediatrics