Baby Hatches installed in Germany

[smudgeoffudge]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,261588,00.html

I've never heard of this before. I have heard of people who abandon babies, but never an actual place for this to be done. I thought people just left them in bathrooms or on doorsteps if they wanted them to be found alive and taken care of.

Because of the number of babies being abandoned in the trash to die, or killed and then dumped, Germany has installed some baby hatches. These hatches are located in an isolated area of the hospital. There are usually trees and stuff to conceal people from veiw. People can just sneak over and slide the baby in, and it falls into an incubator. After a few minutes (to give the person time to get away undetected) an alarm goes off to alert hospital staff that a baby was put into the hatch.

This is to prevent people from killing their baby and it offers them the chance to abandon the baby but know that it will be taken care of. It is actually a very old idea. In mideval times they had something called a foundling wheel. This is an idea that is regaining popularity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_hatch

Some people are opposed to this because they think it will invite anyone to just get rid of their child. But I figure that if they are the type of person that is going to do this, it would be done anyway sooner or later, and at least they can do it and know the baby will be taken care of.
Maybe some mothers would abandon a baby that might not abandon one otherwise. But I figure that some people shouldn't be mothers. So it is probably better to do this than to have a baby around that is neglected or just barely tolerated, but not ever loved and wanted.

[Dragonfire]

That's an interesting idea. It's similar to the "safe haven" laws in the US, where mothers are allowed to drop off their babies at places like fire stations, police stations, and hospitals anonymously. But the baby hatch in Germany looks like a better idea, because I've heard in the news several times that the babies that were dropped off at the safe havens usually didn't give the baby to a person, they just left them at the front of the safe haven, and the baby usually went a few hours without being noticed.

[smudgeoffudge]

Yeah I can't see most people wanting to be confronted with another person asking a lot of questions. I mean, they probably have a very good reason to give up their child, or at least they think they do. But then they would probably have a lot of explaining to do. They'd try to talk to the mother and get her some counceling. They'd also want to know who the father was and where he was, and if he knew she was giving up the baby. So that is why a mother would probably just rather leave the baby outside.

I don't know if they'd ever install these in the U.S. I think they should, because I hear all the time about babies being found dead. Or children being abused and neglected because they were never wanted anyway. And maybe people wouldn't abort a child if they could give it up this way, although adoption has always been an option. In some countries mothers are allowed to go into a hospital and have a baby anonomously. No one has to know and then they can give the baby up. But I don't think it is a choice in the United States. I think it should be, maybe more people would choose to do this rather than abort . This seems to be a better way.

[Asthaloth]

I think it should be, maybe more people would choose to do this rather than abort . This seems to be a better way.

Umm.
I know from lie, fifth or sixth hand that Childbirth is horribly traumatic, not to mention subsequent depression, and while abortion isn't a picnic either (Second hand) it is far in preference.

[shapu]

I think it should be, maybe more people would choose to do this rather than abort . This seems to be a better way.

Umm.
I know from lie, fifth or sixth hand that Childbirth is horribly traumatic, not to mention subsequent depression, and while abortion isn't a picnic either (Second hand) it is far in preference.

I think it depends on who you ask.

I always wondered what those "Safe Haven" signs on firehouses meant. Now I know (and you can too, proving that teh Interwebs are for more than just chatting and pr0n and chatting about pr0n):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_haven_law

[Igg]

Yeah man. My mum's childbirth was a piece of cake. Into theatre at 20 past 9, cut open, all babies out by quarter to 10, patch up, voila! *thumbsup*

[Dragonfire]

Not everyone who gives birth suffers from depression, nor are all childbirths traumatic.

[smudgeoffudge]

I've heard that abortion can have all kinds of unexpected side effects too. Women often don't realize what they might feel later. Some people can probably go a while and be ok with it, but something might happen to trigger all kinds of guilt or other feelings. I've even heard several people say that people who have had an abortion hear their baby crying at night. I've had people tell me this, I don't know if it is just one of those urban legends or what. It just seems they start hearing their baby and they know it is in their mind, but it won't go away.

[Bangel]

Note to all: this is not the place to start an abortion debate. If you do, I'm locking it. Consider this your one and only warning. ...Nyah.

***

To be completely honest, I find this more creepy sounding than good sounding.

[Siouxper]

This is a bit odd. A lot of people must not want their kids if they actually install them. But, I'll leave this discussion for a Debate board or another forum all together if we're going to debate.

[Mongrel]

I don't know if they'd ever install these in the U.S. I think they should, because I hear all the time about babies being found dead. Or children being abused and neglected because they were never wanted anyway. And maybe people wouldn't abort a child if they could give it up this way, although adoption has always been an option. In some countries mothers are allowed to go into a hospital and have a baby anonomously. No one has to know and then they can give the baby up. But I don't think it is a choice in the United States. I think it should be, maybe more people would choose to do this rather than abort . This seems to be a better way.

Abortion, unfortunately, can't be stopped just by making adoption easier, or safer, or anything else. There are too many things going on there, among them the stigma of pregnancy.

And baby hatches won't come to the US any time soon. The culture of the US would not allow for it. Instead we'll just keep pretending that encouraging abstinence works, despite centuries of accidental babies proving otherwise.

[VirtualMetal]

I'm uncomfortable with the discussion of abortion as if the people who choose it haven't thought about it. Believe it or not, most people who choose this have thought for a very long time. This hatch idea won't stop it, but will give those who choose not to keep their child a safe way to do so. Given their circumstances. It's not a new idea either.