Is Your Baby Swing Safe?

Share

Tweet

Share

Share

Email

Comments

If you use an infant swing to calm your baby during fussy times of the day, be aware: Your baby’s swing may no longer be considered safe. Each year, about 2,300 babies are rushed to emergency rooms due to falls and other injuries from portable infant swings, according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Safer Swings

To prevent swing-related injuries, the CPSC issued new safety standards in May for infant swings. All new swings must now:

• Carry a warning label that advises parents to use only the most reclined position until their babies are four months old and can hold up their heads without help. If the swing seat is too upright, a young infant’s head can drop forward, compressing his airway and possibly leading to death.
• Have passed tests to ensure the swing won’t tip over, fold up unintentionally, or allow a baby to slip through or break out of the restraints.
• Have cradle swing surfaces that remain relatively flat while in motion and at rest.
• Be designed to prevent battery leakage and overheating in non-wind-up models.
• Make sure that any toy mobiles on the swing won’t detach when pulled.
• Have shoulder strap restraints if seat angles are greater than 50 degrees. “Parents should choose an infant seat with a five-point harness and use it every time, according to directions,” says CPSC spokesperson Nikki Fleming.
• Be designed to handle specific loads of weight without breaking. If your baby weighs more than the swing’s limit for loads, do not use it.

Safer Practices

It’s not just how the swing is made that matters — it’s also how you use it. “Never put your baby to sleep for the night in an infant swing,” says Fleming. “A crib is the safest place for a baby to sleep through the night. Your baby should be supervised at all times while in an infant swing.”

For more information about infant seat safety, or to find out if any of your baby equipment has been recalled, log onto the CPSC’s website.

Read More: Baby Symptoms You Should Never Ignore