嬰兒吊兜由于實用性強，備受妮可?基德曼和布拉德?皮特等好萊塢“辣媽”“潮爸”的推崇。但美國政府最近向家長發出警告，這種吊兜可能導致嬰兒窒息死亡，出生不到4個月的嬰兒不宜放入吊兜。很多人都認為，把嬰兒放在吊兜里，既可以解放雙手，又能讓孩子感受母親的溫暖和心跳，體會到一種安全感。但美國健康部門官員警告說，嬰兒在吊兜中口鼻被掩，由于剛出生時日尚短，頸部肌肉尚弱，無法將自己從遮蓋物中“解脫”。另外，嬰兒在吊兜中身體處于蜷縮狀態，下巴貼近胸部，會導致呼吸系統受阻，從而導致吸氧量受限。目前，美國政府已著手調查，以確定這種吊兜是否與過去20年14名嬰兒的死亡相關。這其中有12名嬰兒出生都不足4個月。

Nicole Kidman carried her baby, Sunday Rose, in a sling.(Agencies)

Parents are being warned about the danger of baby slings made popular by celebrities and 'yummy mummies' following a number of deaths.

The slings have gained popularity in recent years on the basis that they promote a natural bond between a mother and her new baby.

However, health authorities in the U.S. say the slings pose a risk of suffocation and may have been responsible for the deaths of 14 children.

Babies can find their mouths and noses are covered by material yet their neck muscles are so weak in the first few months of life they cannot move to free themselves.

Additionally, where a sling keeps the baby in a curled position, bending the chin toward the chest, the airways can be restricted, limiting the oxygen supply.

Slings, endorsed by celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman, are praised for their practicality because they allow parents to keep their baby close to them while leaving their hands free.

They are also presented as a natural way to carry a baby, based on the notion that the warmth and closeness to the parent's heartbeat creates a feeling of security.

TV presenter Myleene Klass has her own range of slings, while Mothercare has reported a 100 per cent year-on-year increase in sales.

The Mumsnet forum for parents heralds slings as a 'great idea for getting around with your child'.

But now an investigation has been launched in the U.S. into 14 deaths associated with baby slings over the last 20 years, including three in 2009. Twelve of the deaths involved babies younger than four months.

The deaths have prompted the U.S. Government to issue a warning over the use of slings with babies under 16 weeks.

Inez Tenenbaum, chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said: 'We know of too many deaths in these slings and we know the hazard scenarios for very small babies.

'So, the time has come to alert parents and caregivers.'

The same body took a world lead in warning about the safety of McLaren baby buggies last year after children's fingertips were amputated in a hinge mechanism.

Subsequently, the health alert was extended to the UK and beyond.

The British Government has not issued any safety warnings about slings but the Department of Health said parents should follow the guidelines printed in its Pregnancy Book, which is handed out free to expectant parents.

This advises parents to ensure that the infant's head is supported and that the carrier is always fastened securely to the wearer's body.

Sheila Merrill of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: 'If parents feel they must use slings it is very important that they are shown and understand how to use them correctly.'

The not-for-profit Consumers Union in the U.S. said, in addition to the deaths, it was aware of 37 infants who had been seriously hurt while being carried in a sling, mostly by falling out.

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(Agencies)

Vocabulary:

baby sling: 嬰兒吊兜

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）