Drop Off Your Baby Here

A Kumamoto hospital just announced that they're going to start a baby drop off service for parents who decided they don't want to raise their kids anymore. It's literally called the Baby Post Box, and it's presumably going to be at some side entrance of the hospital.

Do they have this in the US? It is the first in Japan, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's kind of a good idea that would prevent death from neglect, etc. I guess. But does it make it too easy to abandon the responsibilities of parenthood? Also, sometimes I put things in the mail that I don't really mean to, like magazine subscription postcards. Isn't it possible that a parent might, on a whim, drop off their kid while it's having a temper tantrum, only to realize what a mistake they made later?

Link

Comments

[mq1986]

Uh...it's sort of a good idea, but don't you think that such a thing would be kind of undignified.

[Sean O'Hagan]

I briefly blogged about this in January:
http://coppers4acat.blogspot.com/2007/01/baby-hatches.html
I suppose if a mother did change her mind, she could attempt to get her baby back from the hospital. However, this is to avoid ditching a newborn in a trashcan or river or (enter other undesirable spot here). Much more difficult to reclaim a live baby after leaving it in a dumpster.

[nikita]

Well, we have something similar here in the States tho it varies from state to state. I know in the state of California, if you birth a baby and you don't want it, you can leave it at any fire house or hospital within 72 hours of the birth or something like that. No questions asked either. They will not ask for your name. They do this to prevent babies from being thrown away in trash bins and such where they end up dying. There is currently a case going on in California of a woman who has been dumping her babies in trash bins and not taking them to the hospital. One baby died and 2 others survived and were placed in foster care.

Ahhh, here is the story:

http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6297866&nav=1TjD

[RagingTowers]

So is there a limit on how old the kid can be? Cause it would suck to take in when he's 12...

"Yea...I'm done with this.."

Or to take a baby in there with the reason,

"It just won't stop crapping!"

[Cyrion]

In Germany there are over 60 in use. Here in the Netherlands it has been discussed for years and I'm not sure whether baby hatches have been installed or not.

Btw, Wikipedia has an article on the Baby Hatch: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_hatch
It seems the idea isn't new; in 1198 they were allready in use in Italy.

According to another article I found, the baby hatch was in use in the Netherlands during the French occupation (because the French soldiers were conceiving so many unlawfull babys). It was kept in use untill 1822.

[vagrant]

As an adopted baby, I can tell you I am very happy I was given a chance to live and with parents that truly love me. I mean, you'd have to love a kid that wasn't yours and change those nasty diapers. ;)

Hmm...death, or be raised by people who love you...let's see. How difficult is that? Even if I was rasied by the State, it's better than death.

It's clear some of these comments were not thinking of the child one bit.

I applaud any birth parent that realizes the child is better off without them and provides a chance for that child. (Regardless of age)