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婴儿吊兜由于实用性强，备受妮可•基德曼和布拉德•皮特等好莱坞“辣妈”“潮爸”的推崇。但美国政府最近向家长发出警告，这种吊兜可能导致婴儿窒息死亡，出生不到4个月的婴儿不宜放入吊兜。很多人都认为，把婴儿放在吊兜里，既可以解放双手，又能让孩子感受母亲的温暖和心跳，体会到一种安全感。但美国健康部门官员警告说，婴儿在吊兜中口鼻被掩，由于刚出生时日尚短，颈部肌肉尚弱，无法将自己从遮盖物中“解脱”。另外，婴儿在吊兜中身体处于蜷缩状态，下巴贴近胸部，会导致呼吸系统受阻，从而导致吸氧量受限。目前，美国政府已着手调查，以确定这种吊兜是否与过去20年14名婴儿的死亡相关。这其中有12名婴儿出生都不足4个月。
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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.
相关阅读
(Agencies)
Vocabulary:
baby sling: 婴儿吊兜
（中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑）
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