Today’s video of the day is from DadLabs again, asking: Are Front Carriers Safe For Babies? From way out in left field, concerns are being raised about the safety of front carriers for babies. Dr. Amanda Kelly from the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio sets the record straight. There is no medical evidence, at all, anywhere, that carrying a child in a front carrier increases their risk of hip dysplasia.
The fear may be stemming from the fact that traditional Native American “cradleboards” did increase the risk of “developmental dysplasia of the hip” because of the way babies legs are forced together in those carriers. With front carriers, the hips are free to be in a natural and flexible position. There is also no evidence linking front carriers to any problems with genitalia or the spine.
Be aware that there are still opponents to front carriers, even though there is zero medical evidence linking front carriers to hip problems. Slings are a different story. Warnings have been issued that improperly carrying a baby in a sling CAN cause their airway to become restricted.
To avoid any tragedy in your family, please do your research. Find a carrier that’s the right fit for you and your baby. If it’s not comfortable to you, you simply won’t use it. Baby Bjorn has many styles and sizes of carriers to fit every baby and parent.
Special thanks to the Roundrock Express. DadLabs Episode 872 is brought to you by Baby Bjorn and second installment of the Sane Parents Guide – Baby Movers. Download your copy from Amazon or Smashwords today!
I had both my kids in a Baby Bjorn the first 3 months of their life. It was MY back that hurt, and they were fine. After 6 months, I had them in a back carrier, and they loved it all the way until they wanted to run!
Chris, I was just chatting with a friend today about that. Because of having two babies, we never did much with carriers. I did buy one for twin infants, but it was so difficult to use that I gave up pretty quickly. Perhaps I will have better luck with grandbabies! In ten years.