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Babywearing Safety: How to Keep Your Baby's Airway Clear in a Carrier or Sling

By Oğuz Tokatlı · Updated October 17, 2026

father wearing a baby in a dark front carrier with the baby's face uncovered, next to a smiling woman outdoors

A carrier lets you keep your baby close with your hands free. Most of the safety advice comes down to one thing: your baby has to be able to breathe freely the whole time. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has written specific guidance for slings, and the same checks make sense for any carrier.

Why Slings Need Extra Care

Between January 2003 and September 2016, the CPSC received 159 reports of incidents with sling carriers. Seventeen were fatal. Of the rest, 67 involved an injury to the baby, and 10 of those led to a hospital stay.

In its 2010 warning, the CPSC said it was looking into at least 14 deaths linked to slings, and 12 of those babies were younger than 4 months.

The Two Breathing Hazards

Fabric over the faceYoung babies can't control their heads yet. The CPSC says the sling's fabric can press against the nose and mouth and suffocate a baby within a minute or two.
Chin on the chestWhen a sling holds a baby curled with the chin bent toward the chest, the CPSC says the airway can narrow. The baby may not be able to cry for help.

The CPSC's Checks for Every Carry

  1. Face uncovered and in view. Make sure your baby's face isn't covered and that you can see it at all times.
  2. Chin off the chest. Keep your baby's chin away from their chest, so the airway stays open.
  3. Nose and mouth clear. Check often that nothing is blocking them, including fabric and your own body.
  4. Reposition after feeding. If you nurse in a sling, the CPSC says to move your baby afterward so their head faces up and is clear of the sling and your body.
  5. Check the hardware. The federal sling standard requires a reminder to check buckles, snaps, rings and other parts for damage. Do it before each use.

Babies Who Need Extra Care

The CPSC said many of the babies who died in slings were low birth weight twins, were born prematurely or had breathing problems such as a cold. It urges parents of preemies, twins, babies in fragile health and babies with low weight to take extra care and to talk with their pediatrician about using a sling.

Under 4 months: the CPSC asks parents to be cautious with slings for babies this young, because, as it explains, babies this young can't yet control their heads.

What the Federal Carrier Rules Test

There are two federal rules, and which one applies depends on the carrier.

  • Slings and wraps (16 CFR 1228). The CPSC defines a sling as a fabric carrier for a child from full-term birth to 35 pounds, and it includes long wraps as well as ring slings. A sling must hold three times the maker's maximum weight, show no torn seams or fabric after testing, keep the child from falling out, and come with pictures of the correct position and warnings about suffocation and falls. The CPSC says the reclined position is only for carries on the front.
  • Buckle carriers (16 CFR 1226). Soft infant and toddler carriers hold a child upright. Their rule tests the leg openings, how much load the carrier holds and the strength of its fasteners and straps.

Both rules require a permanent label with the model and date of manufacture, and a registration card so the maker can reach you about a recall. Our guide to checking baby gear for recalls explains how to use them.

Shopping for One?

woman in a pink jacket wearing a green front carrier by a lake, with her baby's head just above the carrier panelCarriersBest Baby Carriers: Buckle Carriers, Wraps and Ring SlingsBaby carriers from Ergobaby, Infantino and Boba compared on weight range, carry positions and price, with the CPSC's sling safety tips for young babies.

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