MetaFilter posts tagged with mother and babies

A difficult decision.

sio42 — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 09:49:30 -0800

"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." There are more arguments than just that it may "violate the rights of the child." From the article: "The critics say that baby boxes may be used by unscrupulous fathers or even controllers of prostitutes to put pressure on mothers to dispose of an unwanted baby." In the US, there are Safe Haven laws where the mother drops the infant off in person but does not have to give any information. From the Safe Haven site: ""Baby Safe Haven" laws or infant abandonment laws were created to remove the potential for prosecution so long as children were given unharmed and given to proper authorities. Since the first law was adopted in Texas in 1999, each state across the US has enacted a Safe Haven law. While each state's law is different, they all ensure the safety of newborn infants and the protection of parents who decide to properly relinquish their child."

Progesterone Gel Helps Prevent Preemies

zarq — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 14:12:22 -0800

One in every 8 babies born in the US is premature. A new study (pdf/via) published online Wednesday in Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology indicates that vaginal progesterone gel can help women who are pregnant for the first time and at risk of premature birth extend their pregnancies, reduce potential complications and boost the health of their newborns. "In women with a short cervix during the second trimester of pregnancy, use of a vaginal progesterone gel essentially halves the risk for preterm birth, according to an NIH- and industry-funded study published in Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology."
Previous, smaller-scale studies had produced conflicting, disparate results. The new study involved 32,000 pregnant women in the United States and nine other countries.

Reflections on Judging Mothering

zizzle — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:27:49 -0800

(pdf) Chris Gottlieb writes in the "Baltimore Law Review" about judging parents. The article discusses instances of racism and classicism in the family court systems. An adaptation of the "Baltimore Review" article appears in the New York Times. From the full article: The other day, a woman approached me on the subway to tell me that looking at print six inches from one's face could cause eyestrain. I quickly learned she was not worried about me; she was concerned about my baby's eyes because I was carrying him face out, where he was about six inches from the paper I was reading. Not long before, a driver had leaned out of his ice cream truck to admonish me to be careful --- he thought the sling in which I was carrying my son was unsafe. An elderly man on the street told me my baby's legs were cold. A saleswoman was more worried about his arms, but didn't stop at commenting --- she reached out to pull down his sleeves. More than a few strangers "tsked tsked" me when they learned I had my baby out of the house before he was six weeks old. Even when mistakes are caught and unnecessary separations ended, those children can never again have what we like to believe is the birthright of all children: a feeling of security that their parents will always be there for them, that their parents have some power to control an otherwise scary world. We take that away when we act as though parents are so great a threat to their children that it should be easy for government workers to come between them. The judgment that falls on yuppie women in snide remarks made at cafés falls on poor women with a hammer. My friends feel inadequate, a significant burden no doubt. But my clients feel fear. The primal fear that one's child will be taken. The unspeakable fear that your child will be hurt and you won't be able to protect her. Of course, children learn fear too. My clients' children learn too young that their parents are not all-powerful, all-protecting. When these children worry that a monster may come and take them away from their parents, it is true. More on handling unwanted advice for parents: Parents Magazine ParentsAsk The Nurture Center More on children later ruled to have been wrongly taken into custody: Disputed Medical Evidence Polygamist sect in Texas Approved adoption despite wrongful taking at birth A blind couple considered to be unfit parents reunited with their daughter Baby taken at birth when the mother refused a c-section Mother who didn't speak English loses her baby in Mississippi

Babywearing 101

k8t — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 11:03:19 -0800

Celebrity Baby Blog explains Babywearing, how to do it and what could be the best way to do it for you and your baby. "Wearing your baby is one of the best things you can do to promote healthy bonding and attachment between you and your little one. Did you know that babies that are worn cry less and are easier to soothe? There are four main types of soft baby carriers: wraps, mei tais, slings and pouches. All are excellent for different types of carries and or different aged children."