The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Infantino of San Diego, California, agreed to recall about 1 million “baby slings” sold in the last seven years at stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, Burlington Coat Factory and Babies “R” Us. The “SlingRider” is a soft fabric baby carrier with an added shoulder strap to be worn by the parents and caregivers to carry infants weighing up to 20 pounds. “Infantino” is printed on the plastic slider located on the strap. The product was manufactured in China and Thailand.
The CPSC has identified at least 14 deaths in baby slings over last 20 years, including a dozen of infants under 4 months. This recall came 12 days after the US Consumer Product Safety Commission took an unusual step: the CPSC issued a general warning about the use of baby slings — — especially infants under 4 months old.
The concern of infants is the risk for babies with weak necks who are curled up in a position that can restrict the flow of air through their windpipes. Additional risks include the actual sling material itself, which can block the baby’s mouth and nose.
It was recommended that consumers immediately stop using the recalled slings and contact Infantino to receive a free replacement product. A contact number is 866-860-1361, or you can go to their website at www.Infantino.com. The CPSC is still interested in receiving any incident or injury reports that either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard of the same product. Additionally, consumers using other similar products should report any injuries or problems to the CPSC.