Best Practice Tips for Baby Wearing

byJuliet Spurrier, MD Mom-in-Chief, BabyGearLab

Wednesday April 3, 2013 2:13pm

The BabyBjorn remains an icon, recently featured in cult movie "The Hangover".

Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

This article was written as part of ourBest Baby Carrier Reviewto provide guidelines for safe baby wearing practices.

General Safety TipsLet's start off with some very basic and intuitive safety tips to keep in mind when using a baby carrier:

Alwaysdouble-check that all buckles and knots are securely fastened

Neverdrive a car or ride a bicycle while wearing baby

Neverdrink hot liquids, such as coffee or tea, when wearing baby

With newborns, use only a forward carry position, withbaby facing intowards the parent, and with full support for baby's neck. Once baby's neck is strong enough to support their head themselves (typically about 4 months) you can use aface-outposition.

With newborns, keep in mind that there isrisk of suffocation. Read the section below titled, "Maintaining Baby's Airway."

Preventing FallsOne key safety consideration is how securely baby is carried. A fall from chest height is very dangerous for a baby. Baby should be closely held to the parent, and young babies should be provided a high back that fully supports baby neck and head.

Take great care to avoid abackdivefall when bending over, in which baby spills out of the carrier.

Bend at the knee, not at the hip, so baby stays upright if you need to pick something up.

Check to make sure that the top rim of supporting fabric is high on baby's back to help assure baby is securely seated and supported by the carrier

Start-off Keeping One or Two Hands on BabyIf you are new to baby wearing, or just started with a new type of carrier, take time to learn how well baby is snuggly fitted into the carrier. We recommend keeping one or two hands on baby at all times until you get used to a carrier, and know when it will be secure. Over time, as you get comfortable with the carrier, you'll be able to have one or both hands free.

Supporting Head and NeckBaby's head and neck should be properly supported according to their physical development level. A key factor to consider is whether baby has the ability to hold their head up by themselves (typically around four months of age). Donotattempt a front carry facing out position until baby has the strength to comfortably hold up their head. Most babies younger than this are usually content being snuggled right up to mom or dad anyway.

A back carry position offers reduced support for baby, and the parent can't see what is going on with baby. As a result, back carry positions are not recommended until baby is a bit older, at least 6 months old, and many parents use front carry positions exclusively until baby is a toddler, which we feel is wise.

Maintaining Baby's AirwayFrequent care should always be taken with regard to maintaining an infant's airway in any baby carrier. Use extra care with infants under 4 months old and babies with colds or respiratory problems. Baby's face should be visible to you when baby wearing and head close enough to kiss. Be certain that their airway is never obstructed, either by your body or the carrier itself. Baby's nose and chin should be clear of fabrics and positioned comfortably keeping baby's chin away from touching its chest slightly extended, at least least two adult finger widths. Until baby has good head and neck control, positioning its head turned to one side or the other with cheek resting against the chest while in the front carry facing in position (that is, facing the parent) can help avoid this airway compromising chin to chest position. Several sling type carriers have been recalled in the last few years because when used incorrectly, they can pose a suffocation hazard to young infants.

Protecting Baby's HipsOne thing you'll notice when your pediatrician examines your newborn, is that they will perform a test of baby's hips. What they are looking for is symptoms of hip dysplasia, which is a fairly common development issue. The International Hip Dsyplasia Institute is a good source of information on howpositional care in baby wearing can make a big difference in creating healthy hips. They also cover related topics such as proper swaddling, and guidelines for car seats.

Most hip development issues occur in the first 4 months of a newborn's life. Thus, special care should be taken with young babies. Baby wearers should allow for frequent breaks from the carrier so that baby can move its hips, knees, and the rest of the body around freely.

The diagram above shows illustrates how keeping baby's hips flexed at an angle, is healthier than a straight-legged position. Some people interpret the "not recommended" as meaning the BabyBjorn, however, in our tests we validated the claims of BabyBjorn that their carrier maintains healthy angles for hips.

Credit: hipdysplasia.org

What is Hip Dysplasia?

The International Hip Dysplasia Institute diagram above shows how keeping baby's hips flexed at an angle, is healthier. Keeping a newborns legs straight for a sustained period of time can contribute to hip dysplasia issues. Proper swaddling practices and baby wearing positions are important for healthy hip development.

Credit: hipdysplasia.org

The hip joint is commonly referred to in medical jargon as a "ball and socket joint," meaning the superior portion of the femur called the femoral head has a rounded shape like a ball which fits neatly into the rounded cup-shaped area of the pelvis called the acetabulum. At birth, a large portion of a newborn's partially developed hip joint is comprised of soft cartilage. The above illustration from The International Hip Dysplasia Institute highlights the key difference between the basic anatomy of an infant's hip compared to an adult's hip. Additionally, inside the womb and upon birth, newborn's joints are flexible and lax, the hips being especially prone to dislocating. Certain factors such as a family history of hip dysplasia or breech positioning, increase the risk of an infant having developmental hip dysplasia. However, chronic poor positioning in the first 4-6 months of life, can be a leading contributor as well. By 4-7 months of life, a large portion of this cartilage has turned to bone, increasing hip stability greatly.

Does the BabyBjorn Cause Hip Dysplasia?If you google around and read blogs and comments on the BabyBjorn, it is not uncommon to find bloggers who who are convinced that the BabyBjorn causes hip dysplasia. We've attempted to research this in the medical community to determine if there is real data to support this assertion. Our conclusion is that this is a myth.

We looked at hip angles in BabyBjorn carriers to see if we could see a hip dysplasia issue. We did not. However, we did feel the Beca Baby Gemini offered superior ergonomics. From left to right: BabyBjorn, Beco Gemini, Baby Bjorn, Beco Gemini

Credit: BabyBjorn, Beco Baby Carrier

While we concluded that the manufacturer's claims that the BabyBjorndoes notcause hip development issues are true, we have also concluded that the thebest ergonomic positioningfor hip development arenotoffered by the BabyBjorn Original but rather by competing carriers such as theBeco Baby Gemini. The Beco Gemini offer a wider seat, increased hip angles, and the ergonomic benefits of their design are particularly significant for the front-carry facing-out position with older babies (6-12+ months); which is the weakest ergonomic position for the BabyBjorn in our testing.

The 11 minute video below was put out by BabyBjorn, and features Dr. Amanda Weiss Kelly, a board certified pediatrician on staff at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, and an expert in infant musculoskeletal health & wellness. While the fact that BabyBjorn sponsored this video had us skeptical, we find nothing in it that is misleading or appears to be medically inaccurate. Dr. Kelly does a good job of explaining infant hip development and hip dysplasia in the video. She also covers spinal issues. At 4 min 50 sec into the video, she addresses issue ofwhether the Bjorn is a cause of hip dysplasia. She notes there is "no evidence the front carriers [such as BabyBjorn] in any way contribute to developmental hip dysplasia." We concur. She goes further to note that the hip angles in the carrier are proper for hip development, and even match angles considered therapeutic. In the closing minutes, she addresses carrying postions, using facing-in for a newborn, and then switching to facing out once they can hold their head up (typically 4 months).

BabyBjorn Miracle front carry position photos from the BabyBjorn website. Left: Front Carry Facing In position provides good ergonomic head, spine, and hip support for an infant. Right: Front Carry Facing Out position. The seat extends to accomodate a growing baby for Facing Out position, however, the seat becomes only 4 inches wide which doesn't support thighs and causes the legs to dangle down.

Credit: BabyBjorn

One thing Dr. Kellydoes notmention in the above video, at 10 min 25 sec when talking about front carry facing-out positions, is that the hip angles in the BabyBjorn Original get progressively lower as baby ages; as many people have observed,older babies legs dangle noticably in the BabyBjorn. While most hip development risk is in the first 4 months, significant hip development continues in months 4-7, and some through month 12; reducing hip angles as baby gets older in the front-carry facing-out position is not ideal ergonomically. This may be counteracted by the fact that extended carry times with older babies in the BabyBjorn areuncomfortabledue to back and shoulder strain, thus while an older babies legs may be dangling more than ideal, they are usually not dangling for long. In contrast, competing carriers such as the Beco Gemini continue to retain good hip angles in the front-carry facing-out position, with much higher comfort for parents, even with older babies.

Sling-type Carriers and Risks of Suffocation and Hip DsyplasiaTheConsumer Products Safety Commission has issued several warning advisories about sling-type carriersin the last few years regarding the potential suffocation hazard they present young infants, especially in the first 4 months. In addition, sling-type carriers have been called out as potentially risky for hip development, if the baby's legs are in a straight position (see illustration below from the International Hip Dysplasia Institute). Given these two risks, we do not recommendsling-typecarriers for babies in the newborn to 4 months age range.

The International Hip Dysplasia institute diagram above shows how keeping baby's hips flexed at an angle, is healthier. Keeping legs straight for a sustained period of time in the first year is known to increase risk of hip dysplasia issues.

Credit: hipdysplasia.org

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Juliet Spurrier, MDAbout the AuthorDr. Juliet Baciocco Spurrier is a board certified pediatrician, mother of two, and founder of BabyGearLab. Juliet earned her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Anthropology and Italian Literature from the University of California at Berkeley and her Medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington DC. She completed her pediatric residency at the Doernbecher Children's Hospital at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR, and subsequently practiced pediatrics in both the Pacific Northwest and Silicon Valley. Juliet serves as Mom-in-Chief at BabyGearLab, where she oversees all baby product review activity, assuring that each review delivers on our commitment to quality.