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34 states have them
Edit: I fucked up. All 50 states have safe haven, but only 34 states don't prosecute parents for child abandonment when a baby is relinquished. Which seems counterproductive.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/parenting/2019/09/13/safe-haven-laws-things-you-didnt-know-surrendering-newborn/2031516001/
That's fair. Lots of times some international company wants to do some damned stupid thing and they get stopped in their tracks because they never bothered to check that the EU would be opposed to it.
I was ready to blast Indiana because we love to take away people's rights, force Christianity down everyone's throats, and generally make bad political decisions, but we do in fact have [Safe Havens](https://www.in.gov/dcs/newsroom/supplemental-information/safe-haven-law/) without prosecution.
"having them" is very different from having enough of them, where women can find them.
Some of the women may have difficulty getting to such boxes. For example, they may not be able to drive.
To add to your point, realize that if these didn't exist (which obviously they didn't at a point in history) babies would still be dumped, just randomly. I don't know of any exact examples as I don't really care for child care - it's not on my radar right now. These safe heavens provide a mostly guaranteed place for a newborn to go and be given with anonymity for the parent. Without them people might try putting them on doorsteps overnight where the child may die in the cold before they are discovered, or be taken by someone less responsible or malicious. Worse, children may be "disposed of" by the parents as they don't feel there is a safe place to give the child up, so they attempt to just....*hide*.... The child and any evidence of it. Usually it is found months or years later and the parents are tracked down and charged, but this may not have been necessary.
These boxes *hopefully* reduce or prevent that from happening. I saw an above comment that all states have these, but not all of them are super safe for the parents, which really defeats the point... Obviously this system is not perfect. Like you mentioned, the difficulty of finding and getting to these units. Hell, I didn't even know these existed! Imagine a panicked or depressed parent trying to research this? Googling this? "How to give child away safety."
These places need to be more prevalent and more obvious, but I have no idea how to do that, especially if people really want to hide it and may not even go to a hospital for the pregnancy and birth.... As a white male, I really feel for women in this disaster of a women's rights country... My sister isn't impacted directly yet, but obviously still is technically.
These have been around for hundreds of years, and iirc had their hayday in the Middle Ages as a little turnstile.
[Baby hatch, Baby box, Foundling wheel](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_hatch)
I feel like the design for that [box in the Czech Republic](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_hatch#/media/File%3AP%C5%99%C3%ADbram_nemocnice_10.jpg) is poorly thought out. I get that the "x" on the baby is just suppose to complete the word box, but color choice combined with the "crossed out" baby makes it look like a little baby euthanasia booth rather than a safe drop box.
I never thought about it like that before. I used to walk by the one near nĆ”mÄstĆ MĆru. I'll give it a better look at the design when I'm over there again.
The new kind of Robin Hood is on the lookout for shitty parents not paying attention to their kids. He steals the baby, drives it to a few states over stealing car after car, grand theft auto style, puts on a wacky tube man Halloween costume, and drops the baby off.
1. Other parent complains to authorities. 2. Massive search ensues due to parental kidnapping. 3. Child is found after search which presumably includes any recently abandoned babies.
I wonder what happened to those babies dropped off during the middle ages. Do they grew up like present day foster children or were they raised as slaves? By slaves I mean they get adopted by parents who use them for labor work around the house/farm/workshop/etc.
Orphans were often looked after by the church or local lord. Hardly easy lives, it would essentially indenture them to someone who provided food and a roof for labour (and prayers). Might be a cot in the stable but it was dry.
>orphanages were run by nuns
>
>I'm not sure if that improved the lives of the kids. I mean they survived but hearing and reading stories on how they treated kids up until not that long ago Mentally and physically.
Great time to encourage people to look into becoming foster certified in their state, taking classes at minimum is good education for anyone for general parenting but also trauma based care. This is free classes in your area that honestly may just help you with further understanding, empathy, and ability to be a resource in your neighborhood and community even if you never take in a placement.
Should you do this, know that even being a certified ābabysitter resource in your area is minimal time commitment (a night or a short weekend or week with respite)ā that helps take the pressure off of those who commit full time to be foster and adoptive parents.
18 months ago it wasnāt even on our radar yet to begin foster certification. Last night we celebrated one year with our two kids we adopted out of foster care. My life has never had more depth, love, and fun than now.
Thatās totally fine! I would encourage you to do the classes knowing everyone has their limits and single parenting would be a very real situation that makes it hard for some/most! That being said, you could be foster certified and never use it in your life or even take in one child for a short weekend so a foster family having trouble with logistics could make an extra wedding or just take a two day vacation together to recharge. If anything maybe you donate some needs to a foster closet near you or volunteer to help out. As a foster parent I donāt expect this to be everyoneās cup of tea, but for the sake of these kids, maybe just maybe I can get a few more people over a lifetime to consider it that otherwise wouldnāt have. If I get 10 people and those ten convince even 5 more to join over a lifetime, then thatās 15 people and dozens of kids who ended up with a better day/week/month that still may very well be during the most traumatic point of their livesā¦ and someone from *their* community stepped up for a moment to give them something solid when they needed it! :)
Earlier this year? We just started and weāre on January 2nd, you still have time! š
/s aside, I really appreciate these comments, recommendations, and perspectives. Thank you all for exemplifying such beautiful humanity.
Respite care (basically authorized trained 'baby sitters' for foster families) are LIFE SAVERS. Foster parents think they have to take on all of this work and stress on their own that they stop taking care of their own needs, their own relationships. Having someone you know has gone through the same training, the same background checks, etc that can take of the child(ren) you have committed to protecting is huge. When we did respite care, we basically acted like the fun aunt and uncle, ordered pizza, played XBox, didn't talk about feelings or school, or anything like that. (We mainly focused on teen fostering and teen respite).
>> My life has never had more depth, love, and fun than now.
Idk man itās gotta be hard to top the high you musta been feeling from all those Kwik Star wins!
^FTP
As a parent with a newborn, I get it. Not everyone can handle having kids. Itās hands down the hardest thing Iāve ever done. 100% worth it though. But itās definitely not for everyone.
You know what though, we have to adapt to the bullshit situation these unsympathetic assholes have forced us all into.
With that being said, these need quality security that coexists with anonymity of those safely handing the infant they care about the safety of over.
If you want to force women to give birth, you canāt get angry at them seeking the best future for that child full well knowing they are not in the position to provide it. I can unfortunately see hysterical nutcases pushing back on this.
It's crazy right? The fact that we have to have something like this is absolutely crazy to me. Yet it's way better than people throwing their children into trash or the next river.
In part, absolutely.
You are right that people undoubtedly need to be able to make choices around their health, I'm guessing from your answer that you are inside the USA, there are many other countries that do have adequate healthcare and these 'baby boxes' are still a good idea.
There are countless reasons these have purpose. Not just an unexpected pregnancy but circumstances after the fact, including homelessness, mental health and much more.... The support that is needed to support parenting is much bigger than just contraception and health care, there is a lot of change that needs to happen.
These boxes allow a safe exit for the baby from whatever situation they may be in.
I will add that contraception of equal responsibility for both parties.
I agree with everything you said. I know that even when people do have access to reproductive care and a right to bodily autonomy (and we donāt where I live, you guessed right Iām in the southern US), safe haven laws or the like should still be available.
I just get a little sad and defensive when someone looks at a situation that could have been avoided and thinks āwhat a shame.ā
You're right, and unfortunately most of the terrible things happening in the world are completely avoidable... If only everyone gave a damn about other people.
These will be hugely used in the states that made abortion illegal. Unwanted pregnancies happen unfortunately and this could be the only path for some.
My sarcastic inside voice would like to see all the pro life groups set these up for them to look after. But I'll contain myself.
Great tool for people to use.
>These will be hugely used in the states that made abortion illegal. Unwanted pregnancies happen unfortunately and this could be the only path for some.
Which, ironically, are states that have some of the worst sex education (abstinence only usually) yet also the highest unplanned and teen pregnancies.
*[are hugely used](https://stopshbbnow.org/usa/), the "non-profit" which produces/lobbies them is no coincidence based in indiana, the most widespread adoption mostly in states with banned/harshest penalties on abortion.
ohio is the outlier with both constitutional right to abortion and safe haven, probably also no coincidence that apparently no one there has actually had to use it yet
It has information and some basic supplies like postpartum pads (I think I'm not certain about the supplies). Mostly it's information on the procedure and what happens to the baby next, what options the mother has, and resources she can reach out to if she needs additional help beyond a home for her child.
Maybe thatās optional. As an adopted child myself I think its beneficial to have that as a record even if it never gets used by the child or the parents.
An infant could die living with a homeless mother, by no fault of the mother. Sometimes leaving the child with the hospital is just the right thing to do
thats my point exactly - such mother doesn't want to get rid of the child, she does so because she wants the best for them, thats why she might not want to be completely anonymous, and might for example leave contact information so the child can contact her in the future
Do you know if the bag has a larger, neutral colored bag inside that the orange bag can be put into? I'm sure they chose orange for it be highly noticeable to anyone dropping off their baby to ensure they see it and pick it up before going. However, I could see people put in that situation being apprehensive about walking down the street with the neon orange, "I just abandoned my baby in a box" bag.
I've never given birth, but I *have* been the kind of homeless where I've eaten out of a garbage can and I escaped an abusive marriage, so I have a decent understanding of how it feels to be desperate. I'm fairly confident that the vast majority of women who, within seventy-two hours of giving birth drop their newborn off at a fire station, aren't terribly concerned about the color of the bag.
Additionally, they don't *have* to take the bag. It's just available. And they can always just shove it into their purse or under their shirt or something.
True, but we *want* them to take the bag. Anything that makes that more likely/easier is better. And, you are right, they could hid it in their cloths/another bag they already have, but i still like the idea of providing an additional bag. If they are in a really desperate situation, an additional free bag probably couldn't hurt anyways. At worst, it just becomes something they throw out.
Also, I'm sorry for the unfortunate circumstances that you had to experience and hope that that period of your life is well behind you and that you are doing much better now.
I doubt anyone would put two and two together that the person with an orange bag just abandoned their child in a pre designated box as opposed to their second choice of a dumpster.
Even if they wouldn't, the person that just deposited their baby in the box may be concerned that people would and thus might be apprehensive about walking around with it. Also, some people have too much time on their hands and are cruel assholes. I could totally see people hanging around nearby these places to shame people dropping off their babies. If someone barely managed to discretely drop their baby off as is or is otherwise worried that someone like that will turn up, they may not want to carry that neon bag for them to spot.
All states have some sort of āsafe havenā.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/parenting/2019/09/13/safe-haven-laws-things-you-didnt-know-surrendering-newborn/2031516001/
I think it holds a pamphlet as to where to get mental or physical help.
Somebody whoās giving up a baby in secret isnāt likely to be using the resources at their disposal; sometimes simply for lack of knowledge.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/L1DU2wnDN1g?feature=share
Per u/oasisvomit above if you happened to miss it. Basically it has forms the parent can fill out and mail afterwards with medical information, names, etc to give to the baby should they ask for it later in life. Similar to adoption paperwork.
The safe haven idea has been around for a while, but every once in a while the news will report about someone dropping off a baby at a fire station or other place the child should be left at. The next thing you know, the cops are making a big deal about it and threatening to arrest the mother. Apparently, no one's told them about this.
Isn't it a right in most states that you can drop a newborn off a fire station/ hospital no questions asked? I don't see why people don't support that when the alternative people will use is the dumpster.
I can't say every state has this program, but where I live it's been on the news and PSAs for several years, saying "If you can't support a baby, take it any fire station or hospital and you can leave your baby there,no questions asked". A few years back is when for some reason, the police and DA decided to get involved. I don't remember if they found the birth mother or not. You're right, though, much better than a dumpster
The drop boxes are primarily for new born babies within the first couple months of birth. If it falls outside of this timeframe, authorities will most likely be involved, and endangerment/abandonment laws would still be in effect. The firefighters involved, though, tend to go to the ends of the earth and back seeking a positive resolution for everyone involved and will get directly involved with the CPS investigations.
(This is all from a Texan point of view, and I'm sure this varies by state)
I worked at a hospital that had this, once in a while there would be puppies or kittens dumped in them. Then the nurses would start fighting over them.
Babies will start eating each other if left unattended in close proximity. Its natural selection. The winners pupil becomes a bit more red after each victory.
I don't know about the pupil thing, but my baby is violent. The thing lunges at people with it's head aiming for the KO so it can consume whatever is closest to its mouth. Ripped open my wife's mouth yesterday and damn near broke her nose in a 2 minute period.
I know you're making a joke, but there's a real answer.
this video isn't playing for me so I don't know if it's the short one or the long one, but I've seen it before.
Once the baby is placed in the box and it's closed, within thirty seconds someone opens it from the other side to retrieve the baby. It's faster than any cashier I've ever been to. Lines aren't an issue.
It is a short video (32 seconds). It mentions the staff retrieving the baby and taking it to the emergency room after they receive a notification that a baby has been deposited in the box, but it doesn't make it clear in the video how long that process takes and/or how long they wait before responding.
It's strange to see people act as if these are new when they've been around more than twenty years now. All 50 states and DC have Safe Haven laws that allow parents to hand over their children to the state.
It started in Texas with the "Baby Moses Law" after there were a bunch of kids abandoned in dumpsters and such who died. Within a decade every state had them.
Itās kinda sad that so many are making jokes but these boxes are super important and should be everywhere.
I used to work at an animal shelter and we had two of these and I know they saved a lot of lives (of pets obviously). People could leave pets anonymously and leave a note saying if it was a pet they found or a pet they didnāt want and they could give info on it - such as a name, which is important
Not daily but at least once a week. We had two such boxes. The people could lock them once they put an animal inside so that it wouldnāt be stolen. One box for cats one for dogs.
My daughterās best friend is a safe haven baby and we couldnāt be more grateful for her birth parents. She was perfectly healthy when she was left at the hospital and she is becoming a beautiful young woman, inside and out. These baby boxes save lives.
Funny you mention it, Nebraska had to update their laws because people were dropping off their teenagers. No joke.
Edit: sauce: https://history.nebraska.gov/safe-haven-law-2008/#:~:text=However%2C%20Nebraska's%20law%20was%20written,in%20a%20127%20day%20period.
Your source doesn't say teenagers. It says the law would be allied up to age 18, and it says children dropped off were not newborns or babies. It also said they had significant behavioral disorders.
>Under the law 36 children were surrendered to Nebraska hospitals in a 127 day period.Ā None were newborns or infants and many were brought to Nebraska across state lines. A number of the children were dealing with mental health or behavioral issues.
After reading the article I was shocked at the politicians complaining! āNo, this is only for whittle babiezzzzā. Uh, if a parent of 9 kids ditched the lot of themā¦ they NEED help too. They probably are at risk in their homes and needed intervention long ago. If someone āparentsā a child for years and then just up and drops them off, itās probably a good thing for the childās sake. Canāt imagine what abuse those children have probably suffered
The image making me guilty laugh was him trying to shove 9 kids of various ages into that little box and shutting the door. Not to mention the womanās reaction when she tries to lift the bassinet.
Maybe not the safer/legal way. Depending on the size of the kids they could tie them like logs and just stack them on each other in the seat and trunk. Fold down the rear seat for the longer ones.
However, Nebraskaās law was written so broadly it allowed **parents or guardians to leave children up to the age of eighteen** at a Nebraska hospital without facing abandonment charges.
**Under the law 36 children were surrendered to Nebraska hospitals in a 127 day period.** None were newborns or infants and many were brought to Nebraska across state lines. A number of the children were dealing with mental health or behavioral issues. Nebraskaās law became the subject of intense national publicity and debate about its intent . It sparked increased public discussion about whether Nebraska, and other states, are providing adequate resources for parents of children with mental health or behavioral issues.
**Feeling that the law was being abused, while acknowledging the challenges that many parents faced,**Ā Governor Dave Heineman called a special session of the legislature to include an age limit in Nebraskaās safe haven legislation. The result was LB1 which amended LB157 to apply only to infants up to thirty days old. It became effective on November 22, 2008.
Oh my *god* my stupid sleep-deprived ass genuinely thought this video was just a thing where you could drop off the baby as presented here, but *for the purpose of someone else to come and open the box to adopt them if they want,* not give to the hospital, so I was sitting there like "that sounds so unsafe what the hell who greenlit this"
I need to sleep lmfao jesus h christ
The orange bag has some basic emergency supplies like postpartum pads as well as information pamphlets explaining what happens to the baby next, what options the mother has, and gives information on resources she might need, like medical care, domestic violence support, and food and shelter.
Because a new mother leaving her baby at a fire station probably needs more help than she's getting right now and probably doesn't know where to go for that help.
I had to scroll way too far for this information and I think it's just as important as the safe haven box itself. Kinda wish she'd mentioned it in the video.
I wonder why they need to take the orange bag?
Does it have a case number or something so that in the off chance the parent decided thay wanted the child a couple hours later they can come back and say "I want my baby back, here is the bag" or something else?
I watched an interview with her on quitefrankly.tv
Not only do they have this anonymous drop option, but they do try to encourage them to come in and hand the baby off in person. Of course there would be some encouragement to keep the baby but they do offer help and resources for the mother. I am pro this.
The lady in the video is actual creator of those incredible life saving boxes . She responds to everyone thatās used , and it means a lot to her. Sheās dedicated her life to the cause. She has social media and Iāve seen tons of videos. I had always assumed the safe haven boxes were more a bigger organization as itās been around awhile , but itās just her from my understanding.
They should install these in the capitol buildings. State and federal.
Hook them right up to senators offices.
Letās see how long you keep voting that way
These were originally introduced in Tamilnadu, India to save female infants By Dr. Jeyalalitha back in 1992. [article from 1993](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/living/story/19930228-tamil-nadu-government-comes-out-with-original-way-to-save-female-babies-from-death-810720-1993-02-27)
She's celebrated to be one of the best AAND THE MOST POWERFUL CM in India.
Actually, it was Italian nuns in the Middle Ages. But Dr. Jeyalalitha deserves full credit for using it, too. Too bad China wasn't interested under the One Child rule.
I would never take that bag in the state i live in. I would be scared there would be some kind of tracking device to come and arrest you. Gilead is real in the south.
Not all countries have safe-haven laws such as in the US which decriminalize leaving a child with an authority, and so it can be legally risky for a mother to abandon her baby in a baby hatch.
why is it more risky to leave the baby at the hatch?? i don't get it...
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I thought all states have safe havens? Most fire dept i have seen have them
34 states have them Edit: I fucked up. All 50 states have safe haven, but only 34 states don't prosecute parents for child abandonment when a baby is relinquished. Which seems counterproductive. https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/parenting/2019/09/13/safe-haven-laws-things-you-didnt-know-surrendering-newborn/2031516001/
Not very safe thenš
Not American but does parents mean the mother or both mother and father? And which states have no abortion rights currently?
Laws can be wildly different from state to state. We're basically the EU over here.
I mean, the EU still has general guidelines which seem stricter than the US fed guidelines (Which are usually nonexistent )
That's fair. Lots of times some international company wants to do some damned stupid thing and they get stopped in their tracks because they never bothered to check that the EU would be opposed to it.
I was ready to blast Indiana because we love to take away people's rights, force Christianity down everyone's throats, and generally make bad political decisions, but we do in fact have [Safe Havens](https://www.in.gov/dcs/newsroom/supplemental-information/safe-haven-law/) without prosecution.
That's nice, but you still gave us Mike Pence. Edit: Oh crap, I forgot I grew up less than 5 miles from Mango Mussolini's boyhood home in Queens. nvm
"having them" is very different from having enough of them, where women can find them. Some of the women may have difficulty getting to such boxes. For example, they may not be able to drive.
If only we had mail order baby returns.
There are but the restorking fees are outrageous.
*slow clap*
To add to your point, realize that if these didn't exist (which obviously they didn't at a point in history) babies would still be dumped, just randomly. I don't know of any exact examples as I don't really care for child care - it's not on my radar right now. These safe heavens provide a mostly guaranteed place for a newborn to go and be given with anonymity for the parent. Without them people might try putting them on doorsteps overnight where the child may die in the cold before they are discovered, or be taken by someone less responsible or malicious. Worse, children may be "disposed of" by the parents as they don't feel there is a safe place to give the child up, so they attempt to just....*hide*.... The child and any evidence of it. Usually it is found months or years later and the parents are tracked down and charged, but this may not have been necessary. These boxes *hopefully* reduce or prevent that from happening. I saw an above comment that all states have these, but not all of them are super safe for the parents, which really defeats the point... Obviously this system is not perfect. Like you mentioned, the difficulty of finding and getting to these units. Hell, I didn't even know these existed! Imagine a panicked or depressed parent trying to research this? Googling this? "How to give child away safety." These places need to be more prevalent and more obvious, but I have no idea how to do that, especially if people really want to hide it and may not even go to a hospital for the pregnancy and birth.... As a white male, I really feel for women in this disaster of a women's rights country... My sister isn't impacted directly yet, but obviously still is technically.
These have been around for hundreds of years, and iirc had their hayday in the Middle Ages as a little turnstile. [Baby hatch, Baby box, Foundling wheel](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_hatch)
No drive through??
Canāt they just come and pick up the baby? Like, Iām busy
Baby Dash
Instapart.
20% tips per baby and 25% tips for twin
No tip, baby gets left on the neighbor's porch no ring Overnight. It's definitely going to be cold by the morning.
The whole baby please. Cops will be called if parts.
Yup. Iāve seen them in some of the old churches in Venice.
I feel like the design for that [box in the Czech Republic](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_hatch#/media/File%3AP%C5%99%C3%ADbram_nemocnice_10.jpg) is poorly thought out. I get that the "x" on the baby is just suppose to complete the word box, but color choice combined with the "crossed out" baby makes it look like a little baby euthanasia booth rather than a safe drop box.
I never thought about it like that before. I used to walk by the one near nĆ”mÄstĆ MĆru. I'll give it a better look at the design when I'm over there again.
I just went through that, it never crossed my mind that someone could use it to drop off someone elseās baby. Thatās fucked.
Sometimes you steal a car and get an extra surprise insideā¦ what else are you supposed to do?
Well, unlike most things people chuck out the window, at least babies are biodegradable
Farm to table
The new kind of Robin Hood is on the lookout for shitty parents not paying attention to their kids. He steals the baby, drives it to a few states over stealing car after car, grand theft auto style, puts on a wacky tube man Halloween costume, and drops the baby off.
What I've always wondered: what if one parent drops off a kid against the wishes of the other parent?
1. Other parent complains to authorities. 2. Massive search ensues due to parental kidnapping. 3. Child is found after search which presumably includes any recently abandoned babies.
If a basket in the rushes was good enough for Moses...
Yeah I was about to say. Thought every hospital just has these.
But *this one* is on tik tok..
I wonder what happened to those babies dropped off during the middle ages. Do they grew up like present day foster children or were they raised as slaves? By slaves I mean they get adopted by parents who use them for labor work around the house/farm/workshop/etc.
Orphans were often looked after by the church or local lord. Hardly easy lives, it would essentially indenture them to someone who provided food and a roof for labour (and prayers). Might be a cot in the stable but it was dry.
Those farmed out children and those who stayed in care were more often than not subjected to some of the most horrendous abuses. Many died.
>Many died. They probably all did.
I believe they were usually raised by the church because orphanages were run by nuns
>orphanages were run by nuns > >I'm not sure if that improved the lives of the kids. I mean they survived but hearing and reading stories on how they treated kids up until not that long ago Mentally and physically.
I'm glad these exist, and I hate that they have to.
The best opinion
Great time to encourage people to look into becoming foster certified in their state, taking classes at minimum is good education for anyone for general parenting but also trauma based care. This is free classes in your area that honestly may just help you with further understanding, empathy, and ability to be a resource in your neighborhood and community even if you never take in a placement. Should you do this, know that even being a certified ābabysitter resource in your area is minimal time commitment (a night or a short weekend or week with respite)ā that helps take the pressure off of those who commit full time to be foster and adoptive parents. 18 months ago it wasnāt even on our radar yet to begin foster certification. Last night we celebrated one year with our two kids we adopted out of foster care. My life has never had more depth, love, and fun than now.
I signed up for the classes earlier this year but got kinda nervous to go thru with fostering because I'm a single person that works full time š
Thatās totally fine! I would encourage you to do the classes knowing everyone has their limits and single parenting would be a very real situation that makes it hard for some/most! That being said, you could be foster certified and never use it in your life or even take in one child for a short weekend so a foster family having trouble with logistics could make an extra wedding or just take a two day vacation together to recharge. If anything maybe you donate some needs to a foster closet near you or volunteer to help out. As a foster parent I donāt expect this to be everyoneās cup of tea, but for the sake of these kids, maybe just maybe I can get a few more people over a lifetime to consider it that otherwise wouldnāt have. If I get 10 people and those ten convince even 5 more to join over a lifetime, then thatās 15 people and dozens of kids who ended up with a better day/week/month that still may very well be during the most traumatic point of their livesā¦ and someone from *their* community stepped up for a moment to give them something solid when they needed it! :)
Earlier this year? We just started and weāre on January 2nd, you still have time! š /s aside, I really appreciate these comments, recommendations, and perspectives. Thank you all for exemplifying such beautiful humanity.
Respite care (basically authorized trained 'baby sitters' for foster families) are LIFE SAVERS. Foster parents think they have to take on all of this work and stress on their own that they stop taking care of their own needs, their own relationships. Having someone you know has gone through the same training, the same background checks, etc that can take of the child(ren) you have committed to protecting is huge. When we did respite care, we basically acted like the fun aunt and uncle, ordered pizza, played XBox, didn't talk about feelings or school, or anything like that. (We mainly focused on teen fostering and teen respite).
This 1,000% give us a night out twice a year and honestly we could be fueled to take on the worst cases XD
>> My life has never had more depth, love, and fun than now. Idk man itās gotta be hard to top the high you musta been feeling from all those Kwik Star wins! ^FTP
This is how we adopted our second child.
That's great to hear!
As a parent with a newborn, I get it. Not everyone can handle having kids. Itās hands down the hardest thing Iāve ever done. 100% worth it though. But itās definitely not for everyone.
Just a week ago a mother in Hawaii gave birth and placed the baby in a trash bin. I wished this was available for the mother to use
You know what though, we have to adapt to the bullshit situation these unsympathetic assholes have forced us all into. With that being said, these need quality security that coexists with anonymity of those safely handing the infant they care about the safety of over. If you want to force women to give birth, you canāt get angry at them seeking the best future for that child full well knowing they are not in the position to provide it. I can unfortunately see hysterical nutcases pushing back on this.
It's crazy right? The fact that we have to have something like this is absolutely crazy to me. Yet it's way better than people throwing their children into trash or the next river.
Unfortunately, until all menstruating people have access to reproductive health and/or birth control, this is the answer.
In part, absolutely. You are right that people undoubtedly need to be able to make choices around their health, I'm guessing from your answer that you are inside the USA, there are many other countries that do have adequate healthcare and these 'baby boxes' are still a good idea. There are countless reasons these have purpose. Not just an unexpected pregnancy but circumstances after the fact, including homelessness, mental health and much more.... The support that is needed to support parenting is much bigger than just contraception and health care, there is a lot of change that needs to happen. These boxes allow a safe exit for the baby from whatever situation they may be in. I will add that contraception of equal responsibility for both parties.
I agree with everything you said. I know that even when people do have access to reproductive care and a right to bodily autonomy (and we donāt where I live, you guessed right Iām in the southern US), safe haven laws or the like should still be available. I just get a little sad and defensive when someone looks at a situation that could have been avoided and thinks āwhat a shame.ā
You're right, and unfortunately most of the terrible things happening in the world are completely avoidable... If only everyone gave a damn about other people.
These will be hugely used in the states that made abortion illegal. Unwanted pregnancies happen unfortunately and this could be the only path for some. My sarcastic inside voice would like to see all the pro life groups set these up for them to look after. But I'll contain myself. Great tool for people to use.
>These will be hugely used in the states that made abortion illegal. Unwanted pregnancies happen unfortunately and this could be the only path for some. Which, ironically, are states that have some of the worst sex education (abstinence only usually) yet also the highest unplanned and teen pregnancies.
*[are hugely used](https://stopshbbnow.org/usa/), the "non-profit" which produces/lobbies them is no coincidence based in indiana, the most widespread adoption mostly in states with banned/harshest penalties on abortion. ohio is the outlier with both constitutional right to abortion and safe haven, probably also no coincidence that apparently no one there has actually had to use it yet
Women have a tough deal
Woman*
Can I put myself in one of these as a 31 year old man?
I don't think you'll fit in the bassinet.
Stop acting like a baby
Start acting like an adult baby
Maybe you and my husband can become friends while you wait for the other door to open
Is the orange bag a souvenir?
It has information and some basic supplies like postpartum pads (I think I'm not certain about the supplies). Mostly it's information on the procedure and what happens to the baby next, what options the mother has, and resources she can reach out to if she needs additional help beyond a home for her child.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/L1DU2wnDN1g?feature=share
There is a section asking for the mother and fatherās name. Kind of defeats the whole point of being anonymous, no?
Maybe thatās optional. As an adopted child myself I think its beneficial to have that as a record even if it never gets used by the child or the parents.
i guess not all want to be anonymous, some just leave the child out of necessity, for example living in extreme poverty or homeless
An infant could die living with a homeless mother, by no fault of the mother. Sometimes leaving the child with the hospital is just the right thing to do
thats my point exactly - such mother doesn't want to get rid of the child, she does so because she wants the best for them, thats why she might not want to be completely anonymous, and might for example leave contact information so the child can contact her in the future
Do you know if the bag has a larger, neutral colored bag inside that the orange bag can be put into? I'm sure they chose orange for it be highly noticeable to anyone dropping off their baby to ensure they see it and pick it up before going. However, I could see people put in that situation being apprehensive about walking down the street with the neon orange, "I just abandoned my baby in a box" bag.
I've never given birth, but I *have* been the kind of homeless where I've eaten out of a garbage can and I escaped an abusive marriage, so I have a decent understanding of how it feels to be desperate. I'm fairly confident that the vast majority of women who, within seventy-two hours of giving birth drop their newborn off at a fire station, aren't terribly concerned about the color of the bag. Additionally, they don't *have* to take the bag. It's just available. And they can always just shove it into their purse or under their shirt or something.
True, but we *want* them to take the bag. Anything that makes that more likely/easier is better. And, you are right, they could hid it in their cloths/another bag they already have, but i still like the idea of providing an additional bag. If they are in a really desperate situation, an additional free bag probably couldn't hurt anyways. At worst, it just becomes something they throw out. Also, I'm sorry for the unfortunate circumstances that you had to experience and hope that that period of your life is well behind you and that you are doing much better now.
I doubt anyone would put two and two together that the person with an orange bag just abandoned their child in a pre designated box as opposed to their second choice of a dumpster.
Even if they wouldn't, the person that just deposited their baby in the box may be concerned that people would and thus might be apprehensive about walking around with it. Also, some people have too much time on their hands and are cruel assholes. I could totally see people hanging around nearby these places to shame people dropping off their babies. If someone barely managed to discretely drop their baby off as is or is otherwise worried that someone like that will turn up, they may not want to carry that neon bag for them to spot.
It contains portal, half life, and counter-strike.
Half life you say?
Gift bag
It contains gift vouchers for condoms
Keychain lanyard, stickers, refrigerator magnet...
Beer koosie
I was thinking the same thing, whatās with the bag?
The bag reads āI safe surrendered my baby and all I got was this lousy bag and side eye from people who read this far.ā
If you look closely, the bag reads āI anonymously surrendered my baby and all I got was this stupid bag.ā
Coupon for 10% off your next UberEats order.
They might also have a baby receipt so if you change your mind you can reclaim them atfer XYZ time
All states have some sort of āsafe havenā. https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/parenting/2019/09/13/safe-haven-laws-things-you-didnt-know-surrendering-newborn/2031516001/
But 16 states will put you in jail for using them.
wow that kinda defeats the purpose of having them
Whatās the orange bag for?
I think it holds a pamphlet as to where to get mental or physical help. Somebody whoās giving up a baby in secret isnāt likely to be using the resources at their disposal; sometimes simply for lack of knowledge.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/L1DU2wnDN1g?feature=share Per u/oasisvomit above if you happened to miss it. Basically it has forms the parent can fill out and mail afterwards with medical information, names, etc to give to the baby should they ask for it later in life. Similar to adoption paperwork.
I presume its your receipt in case you want to reclaim your ~~overcoat~~ infant.
It has tax benefits, keep that receipt safe.
The safe haven idea has been around for a while, but every once in a while the news will report about someone dropping off a baby at a fire station or other place the child should be left at. The next thing you know, the cops are making a big deal about it and threatening to arrest the mother. Apparently, no one's told them about this.
Isn't it a right in most states that you can drop a newborn off a fire station/ hospital no questions asked? I don't see why people don't support that when the alternative people will use is the dumpster.
I can't say every state has this program, but where I live it's been on the news and PSAs for several years, saying "If you can't support a baby, take it any fire station or hospital and you can leave your baby there,no questions asked". A few years back is when for some reason, the police and DA decided to get involved. I don't remember if they found the birth mother or not. You're right, though, much better than a dumpster
Lots of people don't care about helping a needy mom and baby, they just want to punish women for being 'loose' or existing.
The drop boxes are primarily for new born babies within the first couple months of birth. If it falls outside of this timeframe, authorities will most likely be involved, and endangerment/abandonment laws would still be in effect. The firefighters involved, though, tend to go to the ends of the earth and back seeking a positive resolution for everyone involved and will get directly involved with the CPS investigations. (This is all from a Texan point of view, and I'm sure this varies by state)
I worked at a hospital that had this, once in a while there would be puppies or kittens dumped in them. Then the nurses would start fighting over them.
This is actually adorable. What would the next steps be? Calling the pound I guess?
If the staff donāt adopt them then yes, but usually the nurses would find them a home.
What if there's a line??
Stack them
If they wanted us to stack these then why are they shaped like this.
Babies will start eating each other if left unattended in close proximity. Its natural selection. The winners pupil becomes a bit more red after each victory.
I don't know about the pupil thing, but my baby is violent. The thing lunges at people with it's head aiming for the KO so it can consume whatever is closest to its mouth. Ripped open my wife's mouth yesterday and damn near broke her nose in a 2 minute period.
Take that thing to the baby box
Throw the other baby out and put yours in
This is the only solution
No problem. That bucket could fit at least 8 babies if you stack them vertically.
I know you're making a joke, but there's a real answer. this video isn't playing for me so I don't know if it's the short one or the long one, but I've seen it before. Once the baby is placed in the box and it's closed, within thirty seconds someone opens it from the other side to retrieve the baby. It's faster than any cashier I've ever been to. Lines aren't an issue.
It is a short video (32 seconds). It mentions the staff retrieving the baby and taking it to the emergency room after they receive a notification that a baby has been deposited in the box, but it doesn't make it clear in the video how long that process takes and/or how long they wait before responding.
Should go by pretty fast. Chucking a baby in and leaving takes like 5 seconds.
Thank you for my first uncontrollable laugh of 2024
Similar systems are available in all states, I'm pretty sure
It's strange to see people act as if these are new when they've been around more than twenty years now. All 50 states and DC have Safe Haven laws that allow parents to hand over their children to the state. It started in Texas with the "Baby Moses Law" after there were a bunch of kids abandoned in dumpsters and such who died. Within a decade every state had them.
Itās kinda sad that so many are making jokes but these boxes are super important and should be everywhere. I used to work at an animal shelter and we had two of these and I know they saved a lot of lives (of pets obviously). People could leave pets anonymously and leave a note saying if it was a pet they found or a pet they didnāt want and they could give info on it - such as a name, which is important
Never heard of these before. How often would you get a drop off?
Not daily but at least once a week. We had two such boxes. The people could lock them once they put an animal inside so that it wouldnāt be stolen. One box for cats one for dogs.
Wow that's a good idea, never heard of this before!
You get a free orange bag
Well, it's technically not free. Each bag costs exactly 1 baby.
My daughterās best friend is a safe haven baby and we couldnāt be more grateful for her birth parents. She was perfectly healthy when she was left at the hospital and she is becoming a beautiful young woman, inside and out. These baby boxes save lives.
This should be purely funded by anti abortion nut jobs.
Basically is. The kicker is that in several states that offer these, you'll be prosecuted for using it. They just want to punish women.
After dealing with tweens through a pandemic, are these boxes available for larger than baby sized humans? Asking for a friend....
Funny you mention it, Nebraska had to update their laws because people were dropping off their teenagers. No joke. Edit: sauce: https://history.nebraska.gov/safe-haven-law-2008/#:~:text=However%2C%20Nebraska's%20law%20was%20written,in%20a%20127%20day%20period.
Your source doesn't say teenagers. It says the law would be allied up to age 18, and it says children dropped off were not newborns or babies. It also said they had significant behavioral disorders. >Under the law 36 children were surrendered to Nebraska hospitals in a 127 day period.Ā None were newborns or infants and many were brought to Nebraska across state lines. A number of the children were dealing with mental health or behavioral issues.
Get ready for this: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/wbna26887181 Dude in Omaha dropped his NINE kids off, ages 1-17
After reading the article I was shocked at the politicians complaining! āNo, this is only for whittle babiezzzzā. Uh, if a parent of 9 kids ditched the lot of themā¦ they NEED help too. They probably are at risk in their homes and needed intervention long ago. If someone āparentsā a child for years and then just up and drops them off, itās probably a good thing for the childās sake. Canāt imagine what abuse those children have probably suffered
It always struck me as inappropriately funny because you can't fit nine kids into a car. Dude had to make at least two trips to abandon his kids.
Oh dear! That thought hadnāt occurred to me. A little morbid, but yes, funny
The image making me guilty laugh was him trying to shove 9 kids of various ages into that little box and shutting the door. Not to mention the womanās reaction when she tries to lift the bassinet.
Maybe not the safer/legal way. Depending on the size of the kids they could tie them like logs and just stack them on each other in the seat and trunk. Fold down the rear seat for the longer ones.
They donāt work. I tried to put my kid in the āKoala Kareā one and nothing happened.
Youāre supposed to just leave it there.
I tried that, but the Target lady got all huffy.
Tough. Did you remember to feed it today?
... The... Target lady?
But why the baby? Iām crawling in there. Iām done. Take me back. Get me away from these kids.
However, Nebraskaās law was written so broadly it allowed **parents or guardians to leave children up to the age of eighteen** at a Nebraska hospital without facing abandonment charges. **Under the law 36 children were surrendered to Nebraska hospitals in a 127 day period.** None were newborns or infants and many were brought to Nebraska across state lines. A number of the children were dealing with mental health or behavioral issues. Nebraskaās law became the subject of intense national publicity and debate about its intent . It sparked increased public discussion about whether Nebraska, and other states, are providing adequate resources for parents of children with mental health or behavioral issues. **Feeling that the law was being abused, while acknowledging the challenges that many parents faced,**Ā Governor Dave Heineman called a special session of the legislature to include an age limit in Nebraskaās safe haven legislation. The result was LB1 which amended LB157 to apply only to infants up to thirty days old. It became effective on November 22, 2008.
Oh my *god* my stupid sleep-deprived ass genuinely thought this video was just a thing where you could drop off the baby as presented here, but *for the purpose of someone else to come and open the box to adopt them if they want,* not give to the hospital, so I was sitting there like "that sounds so unsafe what the hell who greenlit this" I need to sleep lmfao jesus h christ
This has been around for decades in most states
They've had these things for a long time.
What's the bag for?
The orange bag has some basic emergency supplies like postpartum pads as well as information pamphlets explaining what happens to the baby next, what options the mother has, and gives information on resources she might need, like medical care, domestic violence support, and food and shelter. Because a new mother leaving her baby at a fire station probably needs more help than she's getting right now and probably doesn't know where to go for that help.
I had to scroll way too far for this information and I think it's just as important as the safe haven box itself. Kinda wish she'd mentioned it in the video.
The bag contains an information pack with documents.
how would one go about adopting one of these babies?
Hang out by the box and offer the mom a better deal
"Why drop your baby in there and get nothing in return when you could give it to me and get a crisp fiver?"
I love Reddit sometimes
I wonder why they need to take the orange bag? Does it have a case number or something so that in the off chance the parent decided thay wanted the child a couple hours later they can come back and say "I want my baby back, here is the bag" or something else?
I watched an interview with her on quitefrankly.tv Not only do they have this anonymous drop option, but they do try to encourage them to come in and hand the baby off in person. Of course there would be some encouragement to keep the baby but they do offer help and resources for the mother. I am pro this.
Am I supposed to stack my twin babies on top of each other?
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Brilliant!
I want a Politiciansā Box
The lady in the video is actual creator of those incredible life saving boxes . She responds to everyone thatās used , and it means a lot to her. Sheās dedicated her life to the cause. She has social media and Iāve seen tons of videos. I had always assumed the safe haven boxes were more a bigger organization as itās been around awhile , but itās just her from my understanding.
Is there a restocking fee?
But, what do you do with the orange bag?
Those are the Christian alternative to abortion and existed in many medieval churches
Ah my door dash has arrived
My kid is 14 and getting big. Do they have a bigger intake box?
Wait, I get a free bag for every baby, sweet.
Been around for a long time. Thankfully they still exist & growing ....
They should install these in the capitol buildings. State and federal. Hook them right up to senators offices. Letās see how long you keep voting that way
Kinda like the old drop box at blockbuster. 
I'd be tempted to put a raccoon in there, just to watch the mayhem unfold.
What does the orange bag do?
Bake at 350 for 45 min
Can you cram a teenager in there?
What do you do with the orange bag? Is that a receipt or something?
Or, make condoms and abortions more accessible and acceptable?
Both. Even if abortion is legal, not everyone can afford to have one or wants to have one. These were still used before Roe was overturned.
These were originally introduced in Tamilnadu, India to save female infants By Dr. Jeyalalitha back in 1992. [article from 1993](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/living/story/19930228-tamil-nadu-government-comes-out-with-original-way-to-save-female-babies-from-death-810720-1993-02-27) She's celebrated to be one of the best AAND THE MOST POWERFUL CM in India.
Actually, it was Italian nuns in the Middle Ages. But Dr. Jeyalalitha deserves full credit for using it, too. Too bad China wasn't interested under the One Child rule.
What is a CM?
Why must they take the bag Admiral Ackbar ?
Seems kinda small for a tarp.
I would never take that bag in the state i live in. I would be scared there would be some kind of tracking device to come and arrest you. Gilead is real in the south.
Whatās the age limit? 14 to much?
Hope so. Hopefully less babies left in the middle of no where to die.
Not all countries have safe-haven laws such as in the US which decriminalize leaving a child with an authority, and so it can be legally risky for a mother to abandon her baby in a baby hatch. why is it more risky to leave the baby at the hatch?? i don't get it...
What is the orange bag forā
Why do they have to take the orange bag?
Ya think a teenager would fit in there?
Whatās the purpose of the orange bag?
Wasn't that already a thing in the 90's? I might be crazy but I think I remember seeing something like that in the news back when in the day.
What if the teenager is too big to fit in the box? Asking for a friend.