I have been contemplating what to say about this, because I need to say something. The AP article mentions that the head of the CPSC makes no distinction as to what type of slings would be included in the warning. The problem here is that not all slings are created equal, and the warning is certainly merited, and necessary, because babies have died due to suffocation in unsafe slings. The type of sling in question is the "bag sling." One of the more common bag slings is the Infantino Slingrider.
There are some major design flaws with this type of sling that render the simple act of putting it on and putting your baby inside unsafe for the baby. First, the sling is worn low, near the adult's hips, making it impossible to have constant contact and awareness of the infant. Second, the sides of the sling come up over the baby's face, leading to a decreased level of oxygen. And finally, the design of the sling itself causes the infant to be positioned chin to chest. In very small babies, this is a huge problem because they don't have the head and neck control to lift their chin from their chest. This position restricts the airway, making breathing very difficult. Clearly, this is a product that should be off the market and not available. A nurse and member of the babywearing website The Babywearer, M'Liss, actually researched the dangers of the bag sling and notified Infantino of its danger in 2006!! They ignored her correspondence and continued to sell this product, even though they knew of its dangers. Outrageous.
What saddens and angers me is that these dangerous bag slings may be lumped into a general category with all baby slings and carriers. The reason that this upsets me is that babywearing has literally saved my sanity. Naturally, all newborns are completely dependent on their caregivers for every need. Sierra, though, has always been an intense little girl, and when she was tiny (and even when she was not-so-tiny) needed constant touch. If it weren't for my sling, I likely would never have moved from my rocking chair. I might be there still. I used (and still use) a ring sling. I have since discovered other types of safe and wonderful baby carriers that are convenient, and essential parenting tools. Let's contrast a ring sling with the aforementioned bag sling.
While a bag sling positions the baby low out of the parents' immediate site, a ring sling allows the infant to be snuggled into mom's chest, "close enough to kiss," as the slogan for Babywearing International's International Babywearing Week 2009 suggested.
In a bag sling, the infant is lying on her bag, fabric positioned over the sides of her face, while in a ring sling, she is positioned fully supported by the fabric of the sling with her face free. Finally, I mentioned the chin-to-chest position that baby is forced into in the bag sling. In a ring sling, baby is tummy-to-tummy with mama or another adult, the head is supported and upright and the airway is clear.
Here is Sierra, just shy of five weeks old, resting comfortably on my chest in my first baby carrier, a Maya Wrap ring sling:
And here, at 4 months, in another type of baby carrier, a mei tai: 
Notice how, with both carriers, Sierra is positioned upright, supported fully, and literally, right under my nose!
Additional reading:
Fellow babywearer, Jamie, blogs about positional asphyxiation in bag slings.
DC babywearing group, the Beltway Babywearers, discusses safety tips for all baby carriers.
The blog for two online stores that sell baby carriers, Slings I Love, and Piece of Cloth, has a nice comparison between safe slings and bag slings.
Jan, owner of Sleeping Baby Productions, and manufacturer of ring slings, talks about why ring slings are safe!
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