An Australian parenting group has accused a 'baby whisperer' of risking babies' lives by recommending unsafe car seat practices.
Tizzie Hall, the self-described 'baby whisperer', posted a photo on her website of a baby swaddled in a blanket and strapped into a car seat with a Houdini Stop.
Parenting group Kidsafe Queensland posted the picture to their Facebook page and warned its followers not to place a swaddled baby in a car seat or stroller "under any circumstances".
"Arms and legs MUST be sticking out of the harness straps," the message says. "The Houdini strap is not recommended and is designed to break apart in a crash therefore your baby could be ejected from the child car restraint or could jack knife out."
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Posted by Kidsafe Queensland on Saturday, 4 July 2015
They cite the example of a Queensland baby who died after being ejected from her car seat after being strapped in while swaddled.
A post on the website of car seat manufacturer Infasecure explains: "By wrapping a child prior to putting them into a child restraint, the shoulder straps can be rendered ineffective, as they no longer have the arms or shoulders of the child to locate on."
"The 2013 version of the Australian Standard requires all child restraint manufacturers to include warnings and advice against wrapping or swaddling in every rearward facing child restraint instruction manual."
Despite the warning, Tizzie Hall continues to sell the Houdini Stop car seat on her website using the photograph of the swaddled baby.
- nzherald.co.nz
