Joint Press Release

Tadpoles & Butterflies and The Edmonton Babywearers’ joint statement on the safety of baby slings.

On March 12, the American government released a statement warning against unsafe positioning in baby slings. The warning was in response to 3 deaths that took place in 2009. We have been saddened to hear of each of these deaths and wish to share our sympathies with the parents of these babies.

The North American babywearing community is closely united; this is an issue that impacts Canadian parents as well. Poor positioning and flawed product design place all babies at risk. It is imperative that parents recognise the difference between the unsafe positioning being warned against and the safe methods that knowledgeable educators promote. We have long been warning of the dangers to babies when they are positioned chin to chest in any infant product.

As babywearing educators, our primary goal is to advocate for carrying babies in the safest way possible. Babywearing (ie, carrying a baby close to the body in a soft baby carrier) is the way in which infants and toddlers were meant to be cared for. Babywearing is an essential parenting practice that increases the success of breastfeeding, minimises infant crying as well as the effect of Post Partum Depression and makes caring for a baby as simple as possible for new parents.

Carrying safely is a teachable skill. We offer many avenues for Edmonton area parents to learn to wear their babies, including monthly meetings, private consults, telephone help and online resources including an instructional blog. We also train health care professionals and those working with new parents on how to use babywearing as an appropriate public health tool.

For more information, please contact

info@tadpoles.ca
780.777.9525
www.tadpoles.ca
http://parentsvillage.blogspot.com

Arie Brentnall-Compton, Certified Babywearing Educator, Edmonton Babywearers’ group leader & partner with Tadpoles & Butterflies.
Lee-Ann Grenier, Lactation Consultant and Edmonton Babywearers’ group leader.
Samantha Johnson, CRST and Edmonton Babywearers'group leader
Kelly Laffin, Edmonton Babywearers'group leader