A medical examiner issued a warning about the risks from the "babywearing" trend after a six-week-old boy died while being breastfed hands-free in a sling.
James Alderman, known as Jimmy, was in the baby carrier while his mother moved around their home at the time of his death.
He was in an unsafe position and after five minutes his mother realised he had collapsed, an inquest heard. Resuscitation began straight away, but the baby sadly died in hospital three days later.
Lydia Brown, Senior Coroner for West London, has warned that there is "insufficient information" for parents about the safe positioning of young babies in carriers, particularly when it comes to breastfeeding.
Copies of her "Prevention of Future Deaths Report" were sent to sling manufacturer Beco and Madeleine Boot, a babywearing teacher, as well as the NHS and the Department for Health.
Brown has called for industry standards promoting the safe use of slings and warnings about their risks because there is a danger that young babies could suffocate.
"Babywearing" is a popular phenomenon, worth more than a billion dollars globally, where a child is strapped into a harness or wrapped in a sling so they can be carried by a parent hands-free.
Supporters of the technique say it is practical and helps babies bond with their parents through close contact.
However, critics warn of the risk of suffocation because babies cannot lift their own heads if incorrectly positioned. This risk is increased for babies who are premature or have a low birth weight.
An inquest heard that Jimmy died on 11 October 2023 after being accidentally suffocated.
The baby, who was six weeks and six days old when he died, was feeling well other than having a slight cold.
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