help - I don't know how to explain why this is so dangerous

serabi

New member
Ok, techs, I need some help explaining exactly why this is so dangerous.

Someone I know just told me that if her baby needs to nurse while they are in the car, she nurses her inside the Maya wrap sling because "that's so much safer than just holding them." She thinks it's a safety belt, I guess.

How do I explain exactly HOW this is dangerous? I mean, if you ask me, you get in an accident with the baby in a sling, the sling probably won't hold, baby goes flying out, bye bye baby. :( But is there a more "technical" way to explain that?

thanks.
 
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Splash

New member
Baby as airbag.

I'm not tha concerned about the baby flying out. TBH, if the kid is tightly wrapped, it probably WON'T fly out, because it will be moving along with his mother. But then when mom slams into the dash/front seat/whatever, baby slams first and gets crushed.

So yeah, baby as airbag is a good analogy.
 

serabi

New member
Baby as airbag.

I'm not tha concerned about the baby flying out. TBH, if the kid is tightly wrapped, it probably WON'T fly out, because it will be moving along with his mother. But then when mom slams into the dash/front seat/whatever, baby slams first and gets crushed.

So yeah, baby as airbag is a good analogy.

That's a very good point. And the forces on the baby are going to be the mother's weight + the force of her moving, right?
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
How about this?

There's a new product coming out. It's based on the Maya sling, so that moms can nurse their babies while riding safely buckled in the car! All they need now is to test it to make sure it works. Would she be willing to volunteer?

No need to get into physics and crash forces and all that, at least.
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Yes, too subtle - good point! Videos of crashes and crash-tests might help, but then I'm not sure. Theoretically, would the mom's seat belt prevent her body from crushing the baby or slamming into the seat/dash/airbag in front of her?

I can see her point, really. I'm just not sure WHAT will happen in this situation.
 

Shaunam

New member
:eek:

I can't imagine how common sense wouldn't tell you why that's a bad idea! But I guess some people are lacking in that area...:whistle:

Yeah, aside from the fact that I wouldn't trust a piece of fabric to restrain a baby (I mean look at the material in car seat straps vs a sling...huge difference!), that baby would be crushed when the mom was thrown forward!
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
You know, I'm not sure that the sling would keep the baby against mom and inside the vehicle either - especially if seatbelt is between mom & baby. The fabric isn't strong enough to withstand that much force, and baby would feel the crash forces if mom stops moving but he/she didn't.

And is she in front of an airbag? Babe too close to airbag? What about that risk all on it's own?

So I think there's too many risks for it to be a risk that can be rationalized in any way shape or form...
- baby as projectile - ejcted from vehicle or bounced around vehicle
- baby being hit by the airbag
- mom crushing baby with her own body weight

Any of those could happen, all of them have tragic consequences. :twocents:
 

Tara

New member
I like Splash's 'baby as airbag' That pretty well sums it up. That babe will take ALL that force. Ugh!

And you could always throw in the Maya wrap recall thing too ;)
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Didn't someone recently post about a scary side impact crash their grandfather was in, where his cell phone tore through his shirt pocket and went flying during the crash? He was properly restrained and survived the crash, whew, but the relatively lightweight cell phone ripped through his shirt's material. The thought of a larger and more precious baby in a wrap during a crash reminded me of the cell phone ripping through the shirt pocket, shudder. It's not worth the risk to find out if the wrap would hold up during a crash and/or if the airbag or other parts of the vehicle would impact the baby. :twocents:
 

amyg530

Active member
what about the time that the baby is b/t the carseat and the sling? what happenes if they get hit while shes taking the baby out of the seat? just another thing to point out.

i also thing the baby as an airbag thing is good too
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
I think crash forces are easy enough to understand that it would help explain this situation to the mom- weight x speed = the force with which the baby is moving.

Even if the mom is properly buckled and doesn't crush the baby, a 20 lb child at 30 mph effectively weighs 600 lbs. I'd never expect a piece of fabric, the stitching or even the metal rings to support that. That's a mild scenario. I imagine the situation where they would feel the need to nurse on the go would be a long trip that included highway speeds. We're talking 1200-1500 lbs for an average sized 9 mo.

Also, the footage for crash tests comparing a 5 pt seatbelt to a booster or booster to 3 pt seatbelt is a good example of how even proper seatbelt use still results in a great deal of movement.

mom holding baby - no seatbelt

booster vs 5 pt - shows how much even someone in a seatbelt moves in a crash
 

Mama!

New member
OMG :eek:

I have a couple of friends, both have many kids.

I have heard them brag about nursing/talking on cell phone and driving at the same time. Talk about dangerous.:mad:
 

mommyto4

New member
Didn't someone recently post about a scary side impact crash their grandfather was in, where his cell phone tore through his shirt pocket and went flying during the crash? He was properly restrained and survived the crash, whew, but the relatively lightweight cell phone ripped through his shirt's material. The thought of a larger and more precious baby in a wrap during a crash reminded me of the cell phone ripping through the shirt pocket, shudder. It's not worth the risk to find out if the wrap would hold up during a crash and/or if the airbag or other parts of the vehicle would impact the baby. :twocents:

I didn't post this, my daughter did, but it was my dad that was in the accident. Yes, he had his cell phone in the pocket of his shirt. The impact of the accident caused the cell phone to fly forward while the seat belt held him back. The pocket was torn completely off of his shirt. The shirt was not torn anywhere else, just that pocket and they never found his cell phone. If a tiny cell phone can do that, think what the weight of a baby could do. Scary.
 

katiesmommy

Active member
Didn't someone recently post about a scary side impact crash their grandfather was in, where his cell phone tore through his shirt pocket and went flying during the crash? He was properly restrained and survived the crash, whew, but the relatively lightweight cell phone ripped through his shirt's material. The thought of a larger and more precious baby in a wrap during a crash reminded me of the cell phone ripping through the shirt pocket, shudder. It's not worth the risk to find out if the wrap would hold up during a crash and/or if the airbag or other parts of the vehicle would impact the baby. :twocents:

Yeah, that was me! :D
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
((Hugs)) again to your grandpa and to you all, wow. Hope he's feeling better.
 

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