Newborn dies after his mom does something MOST of us do

It's a new mother's worst nightmare: You take your baby for a walk, nestling him inside a sling to keep him close to your heart when, after a few minutes, you realize he's stopped breathing. That's precisely what happened to Marianne Matthews, a 35-year-old textile artist from the U.K. during a Christmas Eve stroll with her 5-week-old son, Eric Matthews, and husband, Robert Matthews. When the couple returned home from their stroll and discovered the baby wasn't breathing, they performed emergency CPR and rushed littler Eric to the hospital Sadly, the child died eight days later. The coroner determined that the child's position within the sling had led to his airways being blocked, and that the cause of death was accidental asphyxiation.

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The tragedy spawned an inquest about the safety of baby slings, which have contributed to the death of six babies in the United Kingdom and 16 children in the U.S. and Canada.

Like most mothers, Matthews had carefully researched all baby carriers and had read in many books that slings were a wonderful mode of transportation. She also read that it was best to position the child against her chest when in a sling. She never knew of all the risks involved in using a sling.

Given the amount of misinformation regarding the use of slings and other baby carriers, we've amassed some tips for parents on how to best use these carriers:

1. Place your child in a chin-up position and make sure his face–especially the nose and mouth–are uncovered at all times.
2. Never place your child in a "C" shape, with the chin pressed against the chest, since this curled position can restrict airways, limit oxygen supply, and lead to suffocation.
3. When using a pouch-style sling, make sure the baby doesn't slip down as you walk. You should always be able to see your child's face.
4. Favor baby carriers that allow the baby to remain in an upright position and provide back support.
5. When using a carrier like the Baby Bjorn, which allows your newborn to remain in an upright position, accommodate your child so that he is facing you but turn his face to the side, so that only his cheek is pressed against your chest and his nose and mouth aren't obstructed by your own body.

 And above, all, make sure to check on your baby constantly!

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