Baby boxes?

[marley2580]

Was watching The Wright Stuff this morning and they were speaking about whether or not UK hospitals should introduce those boxes where women can safely abandon their babies. I'm strongly in favour as 50 babies a year are abandoned and a third of those will die due to exposure etc. I think that a woman must be desperate to abandon a baby, to give her a safe way to do so is only right IMO.

What do others think?

 

[Nibblenic]

I think it would only deal with 50% of the problem. A woman desperate enough to abandon her child needs help just as much as the child does.

If we present people with an 'easy option' where they can leave their child 'safely' and disappear off what happens to the mother?
Yes the child maybe physically safe in the short term but unless we help the mother they will be put through the already over burdened care system with no contact or input from the mum and we could assume if these children are left anonymously any of their genetic family.

I although very flawed would rather see a system that nurses and helps the mother as much as possible before the 'event of abandonment' happened. Then if the mother really cannot be helped any further or really is an unsuitable parents at the time for the baby to be placed with family at least.

 

[Lightworker]

For now, I am for it, as whilst abandonment raises several complex issues for both baby and mom, my priority would be the baby and if they can be abandoned in a relatively safe manner, then yes..lets do it.

I do think it might contribute to higher figures of abandonment though, as maybe there's loads of women who think of abandoning their children, and if they know there's an easy way to do it safely, then they'd probably opt for it. But I don't think that should be a deterrent in implementing the baby boxes, the main concern is for the baby.

I do agree with ensuring moms are looked after, but this can run alongside the baby boxes. Good idea. x

 

[Nibblenic]

For now, I am for it, as whilst abandonment raises several complex issues for both baby and mom, my priority would be the baby and if they can be abandoned in a relatively safe manner, then yes..lets do it.

I do think it might contribute to higher figures of abandonment though, as maybe there's loads of women who think of abandoning their children, and if they know there's an easy way to do it safely, then they'd probably opt for it. But I don't think that should be a deterrent in implementing the baby boxes, the main concern is for the baby.

I do agree with ensuring moms are looked after, but this can run alongside the baby boxes. Good idea. x

You know, you always surprise me. lol

 

[marley2580]

I agree that the mothers need help as well, but what help are they getting now? I would say that most (if not all) of these women are not willing or able to access help, otherwise they would be doing so.

I also think that it could contribute to higher numbers of abandonment, but I don't think it would do so significantly.

 

[lisaf]

I feel like the system works well... we have it here in the US... any hospital or fire station can accept a baby.

 

[Wantingbbbump]

Where I live it's called a baby drop. It can be done at a hospitial, fire department and a PD. In my state (last I knew) a woman could drop the baby/child off until age 5. I think it's a great thing and I know that 5 is pretty old but if a mom can't handle her child or for whatever reason she has to drop her baby/child off must be well thought through. I couldn't ever do it but I do have a ton of respect for the moms that felt there was no other choice and wanted her child to have the life she couldn't provide.

 

[Lightworker]

For now, I am for it, as whilst abandonment raises several complex issues for both baby and mom, my priority would be the baby and if they can be abandoned in a relatively safe manner, then yes..lets do it.

I do think it might contribute to higher figures of abandonment though, as maybe there's loads of women who think of abandoning their children, and if they know there's an easy way to do it safely, then they'd probably opt for it. But I don't think that should be a deterrent in implementing the baby boxes, the main concern is for the baby.

I do agree with ensuring moms are looked after, but this can run alongside the baby boxes. Good idea. x

You know, you always surprise me. lol

lol..i thought that was a very standard lightworker response....sometimes i am unsure what my real opinion is but in this situation..i was pretty sure lol

 

[Lightworker]

Where I live it's called a baby drop. It can be done at a hospitial, fire department and a PD. In my state (last I knew) a woman could drop the baby/child off until age 5. I think it's a great thing and I know that 5 is pretty old but if a mom can't handle her child or for whatever reason she has to drop her baby/child off must be well thought through. I couldn't ever do it but I do have a ton of respect for the moms that felt there was no other choice and wanted her child to have the life she couldn't provide.

eh? I agree with baby boxes, but not for older children..how traumatizing would that be for the child. I don't even know what better alternative there is, but it seems awful...

 

[vaniilla]

I'm not sure what I think of it tbh, I'm thinking most parents that will abandon their baby in a dangerous place are not in their right state of mind so a baby box will not make a difference to that person because deciding to put your baby in a adoption box takes the same amount of reasoning as leaving them inside the hospital as opposed to somewhere like inside a bush, desperate situations mean women don't know what to do, also how will they know about these boxes/think of them at the time?

 

[lisaf]

I'm not sure what I think of it tbh, I'm thinking most parents that will abandon their baby in a dangerous place are not in their right state of mind so a baby box will not make a difference to that person because deciding to put your baby in a adoption box takes the same amount of reasoning as leaving them inside the hospital as opposed to somewhere like inside a bush, desperate situations mean women don't know what to do, also how will they know about these boxes/think of them at the time?

When the program is put in place, they actually get well publicised. I believe its common knowledge here and there are signs outside of the safe drop-off locations.
It may not stop all those people who are not in their right minds, but there are some who are just overwhelmed and scared out of their minds of getting in trouble if they try to abandon their child. Knowing there is no punishment, many would rather drop their child off somewhere safe than in a trash bin.

 

[lesleyann]

I think its a good idea if it saves lives of those babies who otherwise would of been dumped anywhere...

As for the mothers of course they need looking after too but im not sure how we would manage that apart from CCTV on the "baby drop" to then try to locate the mother

 

[lisaf]

I think its a good idea if it saves lives of those babies who otherwise would of been dumped anywhere...

As for the mothers of course they need looking after too but im not sure how we would manage that apart from CCTV on the "baby drop" to then try to locate the mother

If the mothers feel like they're going to be chased down, they might not want to use them. You can't force someone to get the help they need.
What if they were a teen who was raped who didn't realize they were pregnant. YES they need help, but their overwhelming desire to hide what happened might overrule their desire to make sure the innocent baby isn't hurt if they think they are going to be tracked down.

 

[Lightworker]

You could track the mother by various other means eg HVs, midwives(depending on how long ago she gave birth)..I am sure it will rarely go unnoticed that the baby has dissappeared all of a sudden.

HV will go to do assessment, baby not there...next course of action..counselling? But that depends largely on how much the mother engaged with the various services before she left the child.

But actually now that I think about it..it is very simplistic, at least the way I see it. I feel its being done on the basis that the mother will never want the baby back as there seems to be no mechanism for registering the baby's name, parents etc.

If sometime down the line, mom feels competent enough to take over parental responsibility, how will she track her child?

 

[lisaf]

Its often hard to track the child later. But not impossible as long as she remembers where and when she dropped her child off.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I was going to say that the program is already in place in the USA, however, women still will abandon their babies in dumpsters, bathrooms, and trashcans. I think it's a good idea to have the option as well as reassuring women that they will not be tracked down or contacted. Maybe they should put the boxes in an area where there are no CCTV cameras to make women feel safer.

Also, as a side note, although possible, it is very rare for a woman to become pregnant from rape.

 

[Lightworker]

^ What happens in a rape that makes it unlikely to get pregnant?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

If it's a repeat offender, he may use a condom to prevent sperm being found inside the victim. Also, the likelyhood of the rapist hitting the exact time the woman is ovulating is very rare. Statistics show about 4.7% rapes result in a pregnancy, but this is just of reported rapes. Still, not to make light of it, but for couples TTC 50% will become pregnant in just under a year. That's multiple sexual acts a month for several months.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

https://www.pandys.org/articles/rapeandpregnancy.html

Common contexts for conception in rape are war and domestic violence settings.

 

[Lightworker]

Thanks for the info, thats such an eye opener for me. I know 2 ladies that were raped and they both fell pregnant, but obviously 2 is a minute fraction in the grand scheme of things.
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