The 'baby box' returns to Europe

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18585020
Boxes where parents can leave an unwanted baby, common in medieval Europe, have been making a comeback over the last 10 years. Supporters say a heated box, monitored by nurses, is better for babies than abandonment on the street - but the UN says it violates the rights of the child.
It is an unlikely scene for the most painful of dramas. On the edge of a road in a leafy suburb of Berlin, there is a sign pointing through the trees down a path. It says "Babywiege" - Baby Cradle.

Things are getting worse by the day!

Tom Cruises Left Nut

Sweet baby Jesus :eek:

El Weirdo

Well, that's cheered me up no end. Cheers, OP.

Rasheed

I kinda think it's a good idea! If it stops one baby dying from being exposed to the elements after being abandoned then surely it's justified?

Gummy Panda

El Weirdo wrote: »

Well, that's cheered me up no end. Cheers, OP.

It's okay the box had Ouroboros on it

Ficheall

Rasheed wrote: »

I kinda think it's a good idea! If it stops one baby dying from being exposed to the elements after being abandoned then surely it's justified?

And it's cheaper than condoms, right?

Tabnabs

It's very sad, etc. etc. but not all that uncommon. Happened in Dublin just a few months ago

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/German-mother-tells-Irish-state-they-can-keep-her-abandoned-baby-147893925.html

Maldesu

It violates the rights of the child? Because the bin beside the park bench is way more suitable?

I Heart Internet

One of the things I found worrying in that report (there's a lot to chose from) is the assumption that it's not sooo bad for a woman to give up her baby via these baby boxes without telling anyone (father included?) but what was worrying people was men dropping off babies without the consent of the mother.

I think both are pretty horrible. The bias in the report is that its ok for a woman to keep a father in the dark but not vice-versa. Double standards.

I can't bring myself to totally condemn these boxes though - in the absence of alternatives (in the eys of the mother/parents) - they are better than a cold church porch or hospital carpark.

Nothingbetter2d

i suppose its better than throwing them off a 15 storey building though... but yeah it is kinda horrible to just abandon a baby... there are many couples both straight and gay that would love to give a baby a proper safe home to grow up in.

herosa

Ficheall wrote: »

And it's cheaper than condoms, right?

..and has less side effects than the pill.

sbsquarepants

I blame apple and samsung.
In my day there was a warm phone box on every corner to sleep in/have sex/take drugs and of course, abandon babies.
There's no fúcking app for that, is there:mad:

My name is URL

Doesn't that sort of normalise the act of abandoning newborns? I'm fairly bloody liberal but this just seems like a bizarre idea.

Suicide booths probably aren't far away now =p

Nothingbetter2d

My name is URL wrote: »

Suicide booths probably aren't far away now =p

you mean one like this?

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1077967070058

ibarelycare

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

i suppose its better than throwing them off a 15 storey building though... but yeah it is kinda horrible to just abandon a baby... there are many couples both straight and gay that would love to give a baby a proper safe home to grow up in.

Yeah well something like this means they get the chance. The babies who are left in those boxes will be fostered and then put up for adoption.

I think it's a good idea. Although the thought of a mother being this desperate that she has to do something like this is very sad, at least the baby is going to be cared for and looked after.

eviltwin

There was an article in Saturday's Indo about these - sorry I don't have a link to it.

A guy from a prolife group wants to bring these into Ireland, they think it will provide more babies for adoption as well as cut down on abortion rates although I don't see how they figure that one out

Not sure what I think of them tbh, agree it is a better option than leaving a child in the elements but I always worry about the state of mind of the women who abandon babies, I wonder do they really want to give up the child or just feel under terrible pressure - you would imagine if they are giving birth in secret there is some fierce pressure there.

I notice the pro life guy gave a huge positive spin to the idea without really looking at the bigger picture.

My name is URL

ibarelycare wrote: »

Yeah well something like this means they get the chance. The babies who are left in those boxes will be fostered and then put up for adoption.

I think it's a good idea. Although the thought of a mother being this desperate that she has to do something like this is very sad, at least the baby is going to be cared for and looked after.

It's not 1950 any more. Services and help are freely available to anyone that finds themselves in a position where they feel like they don't want to keep a baby. Providing an alternative to seeking actual help is a step backwards imo.

smokedeels

I can see "ya bleed'n box baby!" becoming a popular put down in our nations school yards.

The Recliner

Gummy Panda wrote: »

It's okay the box had Ouroboros on it

Now that is a nerdy reference

I Heart Internet

eviltwin wrote: »

but I always worry about the state of mind of the women who abandon babies, I wonder do they really want to give up the child or just feel under terrible pressure - you would imagine if they are giving birth in secret there is some fierce pressure there.

In fairness, the bbc report painted a very good picture in that regard. The letter in the box for any mother is very warm and supportive - not at all threatening. As the report says, women often/sometimes return after some time to collect the baby and get help.

This sounds awful - a box to leave an unwanted baby - but when you compare it to some of the alternative options some parents might convince themselves they are faced with, it would seem a compassionate service - saving baby's (and mother's) life in some instances.

ibarelycare

My name is URL wrote: »

It's not 1950 any more. Services and help are freely available to anyone that finds themselves in a position where they feel like they don't want to keep a baby. Providing an alternative to seeking actual help is a step backwards imo.

There are some people who might be terrified of seeking help. I'm not saying this should be the first option for people by any means but there are many women that are so desperate that they've left their babies abandoned in bins, etc. At least this way there is another option for them.

eviltwin

I Heart Internet wrote: »

In fairness, the bbc report painted a very good picture in that regard. The letter in the box for any mother is very warm and supportive - not at all threatening. As the report says, women often/sometimes return after some time to collect the baby and get help.
.

I was thinking more along the lines of the pressure women and girls face from family and society in general that they would even contemplate having a baby in secret and then leaving it somewhere. To feel that is your only option is just something I can't get my head round at all. What could be so bad you couldn't tell your loved ones you were pregnant. Then there are the health issues for the mum, if she is not getting medical attention before and after the birth it could be very dangerous.

I Heart Internet

My name is URL wrote: »

It's not 1950 any more. Services and help are freely available to anyone that finds themselves in a position where they feel...............

There are plenty of great services to help people battle depression and suicidal tendancies too.......unfortunetly this doesn't mean they're always availed of.

Unless you've been in that particular corner (feeling like you have no option but to give away your child anonomously) then I don't think we can fully understand the motives.

Rasheed

Ficheall wrote: »

And it's cheaper than condoms, right?

Sure what's that got to do with it? If a girl gets pregnant by mistake, there is no point in preaching about contraception.
Do you really think a girl is going to start practicing unprotected sex because there is a place she can leave the baby if she gets pregnant? Come on now.

jester77

They have been around here for a long time, wonder why this is hitting the new all of a sudden

eviltwin

eviltwin wrote: »

There was an article in Saturday's Indo about these - sorry I don't have a link to it.

A guy from a prolife group wants to bring these into Ireland, they think it will provide more babies for adoption as well as cut down on abortion rates although I don't see how they figure that one out

Not sure what I think of them tbh, agree it is a better option than leaving a child in the elements but I always worry about the state of mind of the women who abandon babies, I wonder do they really want to give up the child or just feel under terrible pressure - you would imagine if they are giving birth in secret there is some fierce pressure there.

I notice the pro life guy gave a huge positive spin to the idea without really looking at the bigger picture.

what the fcuk, adoption isn't some basic necessity everyone is entitled to and consequently means that more babies should be churned out for them

did they really word it like that

gobnaitolunacy

Fecking babies, ppl are either trying to steal them or throw them away.

My name is URL

I Heart Internet wrote: »

In fairness, the bbc report painted a very good picture in that regard. The letter in the box for any mother is very warm and supportive - not at all threatening. As the report says, women often/sometimes return after some time to collect the baby and get help.

This sounds awful - a box to leave an unwanted baby - but when you compare it to some of the alternative options some parents might convince themselves they are faced with, it would seem a compassionate service - saving baby's (and mother's) life in some instances.

I don't need to understand the motives, I just feel that dealing with the problem in such a disconnected and cold way is wrong.

In France, women have the right to attend hospitals and give birth completely anonymously. Surely something like that would be much better?

jester77

jester77 wrote: »

They have been around here for a long time, wonder why this is hitting the new all of a sudden

I think it's been seen as a sign that thinga sre getting worse as their use is expanding to other countries that may have not had them for years (or centuries)!

Real Life

My name is URL wrote: »

Doesn't that sort of normalise the act of abandoning newborns? I'm fairly bloody liberal but this just seems like a bizarre idea.

Suicide booths probably aren't far away now =p

i hope so, also maybe this would be less of a problem if abortions were more accessible and there wasnt such a big deal made about it

Lollipops23

I have mixed feelings on this- even with a change in moral attitudes and support systems in place, babies still get abandoned a couple of times a year- only last week I read about the body of a baby buy being found by a stream in the UK.

If this system can provide a bit of hope to a very desperate woman in a vulnerable situation, and keep a baby alive when they would otherwise be exposed to the elements, what's the problem? It's not like it's going to make a load of women more relaxed about an unwanted pregnancy- it's a facility for a truly desperate person in the hour of genuine need.

Jester252

Are the rules of the box the same as a pick a penny leave a penny dishes

RaRaRasputin

Here we go again....babyloving Ireland where hardly anybody understands that not everyone wants children or can provide for them (and I will skip the contraception issue now, because we all know that there are unwanted pregnancies, no matter the reason).
This "baby box" is an alternative for people who find themselves in uncontrollable conditions, rather than to simply drop the child off at a park, orphanage or in a bin. Bet if you watch a movie and see a desperate person dropping off their baby so it can have a better life than they can provide you weep and pity the poor parent, whilst you now condemn those who give their child up for adoption in the safest way for the baby, without having to fear judgement for their decision. It is really reactions like those in this forum that make people feel ashamed for giving up a child for adoption.

It is the safest option for the child which is cared for immediately, rather than suffering needlessly. What would you prefer? That it is left lying around in a bin bag until it suffocates? Hypocrites...

ibarelycare

RaRaRasputin wrote: »

Here we go again....babyloving Ireland where hardly anybody understands that not everyone wants children or can provide for them (and I will skip the contraception issue now, because we all know that there are unwanted pregnancies, no matter the reason).
This "baby box" is an alternative for people who find themselves in uncontrollable conditions, rather than to simply drop the child off at a park, orphanage or in a bin. Bet if you watch a movie and see a desperate person dropping off their baby so it can have a better life than they can provide you weep and pity the poor parent, whilst you now condemn those who give their child up for adoption in the safest way for the baby, without having to fear judgement for their decision. It is really reactions like those in this forum that make people feel ashamed for giving up a child for adoption.

It is the safest option for the child which is cared for immediately, rather than suffering needlessly. What would you prefer? That it is left lying around in a bin bag until it suffocates? Hypocrites...

Who are you talking to?

RaRaRasputin

ibarelycare wrote: »

Who are you talking to?

Not you, but the self-righteous brigade