r/ScienceParents • u/happy_go_lucky • Jan 31 '20
Hospital removed posters with safe sleeping guidelines for newborns ..... because it scared the parents
This is kind of a rant and I'm not sure if I'm in the right subreddit.
I'm going to have baby number 3, soon. When I had our second daughter, there were posters everywhere in the rooms and the hallways of the ward for new moms and babies. Posters that explained safe sleeping environment for newborns. Don't use lose blankets in the crib. Don't use the crib bumpers. Baby should sleep on their back in a well ventilated room. Don't fall asleep on the couch with your baby. And so on. Everything illustrated with pictures. They also handed out a flyer with the guidelines and spent a moment explaining them.
Now I went back to visit the hospital in preparation for our third child and the posters were all gone. I asked about them and was told that they were removed because apparently, they upset the parents.
So the feelings of these adults, entrusted with their children's safety are valued more than the safety of those children.
This makes me really furious. It seems to be a common trend to not advocate reasonable things in order to not hurt anybody's feelings. More and more, there seems to be room for opinions ("I'm allowed to habende opinion on the subject ") that contradict science. And by science backing down so easily, it is implied that everybody's opinion is equal. Even equal to facts. Among parents, it is highly controversial to point out dangerous habits, because telling someone, something they do could be dangerous could hurt their feelings and is seen as mingling. Do you tell someone that it's dangerous to block the baby's air circulation in a stroller with a heavy blanket on a hot day? When you see someone giving their one year olds entire nuts? (I'm an MD and I've sadly seen the consequences of this going wrong)
I didn't know everything when I started out as a new mom. I still learn new things all the time. As adults, we should be able to take a step back and manage our feelings of fear or hurt pride when facing information about children's safety.
If the hospitals stop educating new parents about their children's safety, who will?
