It’s a baby essential, used to carry the most precious cargo from newborn days through to the toddler years. But what most parents don’t know is that there are no mandated safety standards for baby carriers in Australia.
The Australian Babywearing Association (ABA) has launched the National Campaign for Change, calling on the Australian Crime and Corruption Commission (ACCC) to prioritise infant safety.
“Parents rightly assume that products sold in Australia have been tested and meet minimum safety requirements, but that’s currently not guaranteed,” ABA Co-Founder, Brooke Maree said.
“We would like to see Australia adopt or align with internationally recognised safety standards, such as the ASTM International standards used in the United States and the European EN standards.”
These standards cover critical areas, including load-bearing testing, fastener durability, fabric strength, chemical safety, and clear labelling and instructions for safe use.
The ABA also wants to see education around safe positioning and breathing included in these standards, ensuring that products not only meet mechanical safety requirements but also actively support safe babywearing practices.
Mikayla Falls is a first-time mum on the Gold Coast who listed an Australian-owned brand baby carrier on her baby registry.
When it turned up, she was horrified.
“A close friend of mine bought it for me, and when it turned up six weeks later, it was obvious it had just been drop-shipped from China. There were no safety instructions; it felt poorly made and smelled like chemicals. It didn’t feel safe to put my baby in it,” she said.
Flyer from the Australian Babywearing Association explaining safety standards on baby carriers
The risks of unsafe babywearing
In April 2019, three-week-old Harvey McGlinn tragically died while being carried in a wrap baby carrier. He was inadvertently carried in an unsafe position and died by asphyxiation.
“For babies, the risks of unsafe baby carriers and poor education can be serious, including falls due to structural failure, compromised positioning that can affect breathing, or exposure to potentially harmful materials,” Brooke said.
“I’ve known parents who have accidentally bought a cheaply made carrier that was falsely advertised as being high quality and had its waistband buckle completely snap when they’ve bent over with their baby to pick something up.”
Kirsty Jensen works at Kangatraining Australia, a fitness program for postpartum Mums to safely exercise while wearing their babies in a carrier. She says she sees women every day who have their babies in popular brand carriers that wouldn’t meet a national safety standard.
“It is really confusing for parents when they are trying to purchase a baby carrier, and there are all these brands out there that are not actually held to any mandated standard,” Kirsty said.
“Because they’ve bought it from a legitimate store, and it might have good reviews, they think it must be okay. But some of these carriers we can’t actually allow in Kangatraining classes because they’re not safe for bub or Mum.”
It’s also frustrating for the many Australian-owned baby carrier brands that do invest in rigorous testing against international standards before launching their products.
“There are over a dozen brands being sold in Australia and through online marketplaces that don’t pass international standards on baby carriers, and alarmingly, this has been growing at a rapid pace over the last 12-24 months,” Brooke said.
“Because Australia does not currently mandate a specific safety standard for baby carriers, products can be legally sold here without meeting internationally recognised benchmarks such as ASTM or European standards.”
Australian brands that meet safety standards on baby carriers
Krystal Tupi is the founder of Chekoh, an Australian-owned baby carrier brand. She says it takes a lot of time and money to have the carriers tested offshore to ensure her products meet American safety standards.
“Often, we will be talking with parents at baby expos, and they ask about safety standards. We assure them our products are safety tested, but have to explain there is no mandated standard in Australia, which is honestly embarrassing,” Krystal said.
“It puts people off buying from Australian brands, and it makes it really hard for small businesses like ours. On top of that, there are heaps of cheap knock-off brands that steal our imagery and sell poor quality products with no instructions.”
The ABA is inviting anyone who has had a bad experience with a baby carrier to share their story via the Australian Babywearing Association website.
For more information on safe babywearing or to support the ABA National Campaign for Change, visit https://babywearingaustralia.com.au/safety-campaign/
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