Download press release: The Baby Carrier Industry Alliance Launches New Babywearing Safety Initiatives
PRESS RELEASE: For immediate release
Response to the West London Coroner’s report on death involving infant baby carrier
South Portland, Maine, United States; February 19, 2025 – The Baby Carrier Industry Alliance, an international business organization that supports baby carrier innovation and babywearing education, pledges to launch 5 new babywearing safety initiatives in coming months. This comes in response to recommendations in a recently released coroner’s report. The report describes the death of James Alderman, a 7-week-old infant who passed away in October 2023 while feeding in an upright soft infant carrier.
The BCIA extends our deepest condolences to the family of 7-week-old Jimmy. As parents ourselves, we feel very deeply for any parent who suffers the profound grief of a child’s death.
We also wish to express our gratitude to the family, the West London Coroner’s office, and the experts who have worked together to review the circumstances of Jimmy’s death in detail with the goal of identifying factors that may prevent other families from experiencing such devastating loss in the future.
As a leader in safety and compliance, the BCIA is focused on learning from Jimmy’s death. The organization holds a unique position as a trade organization whose membership includes baby carrier brands, babywearing educators, importers, and resellers around the world.
The BCIA’s mission includes working with international standards-writing organizations, such as CEN and ASTM, to create and refine the mandatory safety requirements for baby carriers. The organization’s leadership have been working with government organizations, nonprofits, and others to improve access to safe, high-quality baby carriers and current research since 2010.
“The safest place for young infants is under the direct supervision of their caregiver, and infant slings and carriers are the safest tools to facilitate that supervision. The use of baby carriers has been well-documented as a safe and beneficial parenting practice since the dawn of humanity,” says Kristi Hayes-Devlin, Executive Director of the BCIA. “We applaud the West London Senior Coroner for recognizing the importance of carriers as parenting tools, and for the specific and actionable notes of concern included in her report.”
General rules about newborn airway safety and breastfeeding go hand-in-hand with baby carrier use, as it does in other infant products. Babies should generally remain “Visible and Kissable” in any baby carrier. The BCIA supports focused, evidence-based awareness campaigns about safe carrying practices and welcomes collaboration with government, nonprofit, breastfeeding, and other related organizations to raise awareness about this important issue.
In response to the coroner’s report and the reported concerns of the Lullaby Trust in the UK, the BCIA commits to the following actions and encourages babywearing professionals, whether brands, educators, or resellers, to take steps to review the information:
- To continue work on the CEN and ASTM committees to hone and promulgate evidence-based standards. Available data shows these standards have been effective at reducing adverse incidents in carriers and other nursery products.
- Previously, the BCIA has partnered with Health Canada in public safety campaigns about positioning in baby carriers, and will work to create such partnerships and babywearing safety initiatives with other health organizations
- Create additional educational opportunities for members around safety messaging, instructional materials, etc.
- Increase direct-to-consumer outreach around positioning in soft carriers, slings, and other nursery products
About
THE BABY CARRIER INDUSTRY ALLIANCE is the only global trade organization focused on baby carriers.The BCIA has supported baby carrier innovation and the practice of babywearing since 2010, with a particular focus on regulatory compliance, product safety, and babywearing education. Members include baby carrier and sling manufacturers, educators, and resellers across the globe.
Contact
For more information, contact:
Kristi Hayes-Devlin, Executive Director.
director@babycarrierindustryalliance.org
(+1) 512 943 2242
###