Baby expert under fire after advising parents to swaddle babies in car seats: ‘This is NOT safe!’

Parenting expert Tizzie Hall has been slammed by safety groups following her ‘disturbing’ baby car seat advice

Baby expert under fire after advising parents to swaddle babies in car seats: ‘This is NOT safe!’

by Kayleigh Dray |
Updated on

The bestselling author, writing on her website Save Our Sleep, recommended that parents wrap an infant in a car seat with 100 per cent cotton swaddle.

Tizzie Hall went on to specify that parents use the ‘Baby Origami’ wrap when doing this, including instructions and a photograph of a baby wrapped tightly under their car seat restraints.

An accompanying photo that shows a baby wrapped tightly under their restraint.

Stunned by the dangerous advice, Kidsafe Queensland, the non-government, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to preventing unintentional childhood injuries took to Facebook to share a warning with parents everywhere.

“DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES wrap your baby like this in a swaddle or blanket and place in a child car seat or a pram/stroller"

They wrote: “Just seen VERY DISTURBING information on a website.

“DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES wrap your baby like this in a swaddle or blanket and place in a child car seat or a pram/stroller. Arms and legs MUST be sticking out of the harness straps.”

They continued: “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 jackknife out.

“See the case of Queensland baby Isabella, who was ejected right out of the car because she was swaddled then placed in her baby safety capsule.

“She died at just 4 months of age. The parents simply did not know of the danger they were placing her in.”

Just seen VERY DISTURBING information on a website. https://shop.saveoursleep.com.au/product/2412/11321/. DO NOT UNDER... > >

Posted by [Kidsafe Queensland](https://www.facebook.com/KidsafeQld) on [Saturday, 4 July 2015](https://www.facebook.com/KidsafeQld/posts/915567768515431)

The post has been shared over 150 times on Facebook.

Thankful that the message had been spread so quickly, the Facebook administrator of the group added: “Thanks for all of your shares and comments. I think that common sense must prevail here.

“All convertible child car restraint instruction booklets say do not wrap or swaddle.

“DO NOT WRAP OR SWADDLE then place in a any child car restraint. I have asked authorities if and how can they prevent this potentially dangerous misinformation being disseminated.”

According to the Daily Mail, the current Australian guidelines say that ‘soft padding, including blankets or wraps (including infant swaddling), inside the [car seat’s] harness is likely to introduce slack into the harness, increasing the risk of injury.’

It is also advised that harnesses should be adjusted to fit the baby snugly and if a rug or blanket is used, it should be placed over the harness once it is secure.

Tizzie Hall, whose expertise is "based on years of my study and observation of how babies sleep”, has yet to comment on the backlash her controversial advice has caused.

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