license to breed

LPN0608 · Dec 28, 2006

We have a cat. 16 lbs of fur (constantly falling off) and claws. I was advised to get rid of her when I got preg. Couldn't do it, she's family. Baby is now almost a yr and we've never had a problem. Of course, cat has never missed a meal. Every now and then the cat gets brave enough to get close and loses a small fist of hair. And yes baby has slept in her corificeat, bouncer, crib, in her swing, playpen, on a blanket on the floor and well even in her baby bathtub(empty). As long as baby is safe it doesn't matter where they nap. But I don't understand how a mother could leave her child around untrained animals. And how the heck did they listen to their baby cry through the first few toes. I'm sure neither one of those animals could get all four in one bite. I wonder, with the other poster said also, if the animals were poorly cared for?

bopps · Dec 28, 2006

Okay guys, I realize anger was not a politically correct response. I wasn't angry at the mother. I was angry at the situation and at the fact that a kid could have easily died over stupidity. Isn't this what this whole thread is about? And my anger was fueled by compassion. Compassion for the child, and for the ignorant mother. Social workers had been previously notified and I am sure they had made follow up visits etc, but apparently they were not successful in educating this mother either. This is another case of "needing a license to breed." I was not angry at the mother personally. I was angry because a poor innocent child could have died and there wasn't a single thing I could do to fix the situation. I and others had all ready given PLENTY of nutritional advice. I'm sorry I said I was angry but when a beautiful child (albeit with crappy genes) has to suffer and maybe potentially die over an adults stupidity, I sometimes get emotional. I am sorry I am a human being.

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 28, 2006

My younger son had severe reflux and for a while slept in his car seat in the crib on the pediatrician's advice. He'll be 17 next month and is healthy; we hadn't heard about sleeping positions correlating with SIDS at the time.

I also don't understand how any animal could get more than one toe if the baby was right beside the parents and they were sleeping. I think that either they weren't there or else they were passed out on alcohol or drugs.

I took care of a baby once who had been bitten by rats (not mice, rats) which were not family pets. The baby's twin was bitten less severely- the one I took care of required transfusion. Mom claimed she was asleep in the same room. I don't think anybody believed her, those babies had to have been screaming bloody murder. It was, without a doubt, one of the grossest things I've ever seen in nursing.

gkrn · Dec 28, 2006

We have all heard of the proverbial straw that breaks the camels back--I can understand the anger. When you are holding a choking-non-breathing baby your adrenaline gets a burst, you have 2 major emotions that result from such a burst, scared to death or angry. We have little control over such a burst and some people function better in anger and are paralyzed by fear. I just glad that the chip was dislodged by the nurse.

As far as SIDS, over my nursing career sleeping positions on infants has changed from stomach, to side, to back. When all babies were to be put on their stomachs, the rate of SIDS went up on babies laying on their stomach (could it be because more babies were sleeping on their stomaches?) Same thing for when they sleep on their side. I haven't worked in the hospital setting for 5 years now. Has it changed again?

On infant seats, car seats, they are now designed to really cradle the baby well and if the baby's neck is strong enough for the baby to ride safely in the car without neck support, I don't see any problem with them sleeping in the car seat. When I worked in the 4 pound to 2 year nursery in a children's hospital we used to place our long term infants in an infant seat daily as part of their turn Q 2 hour and get up in chair equivalent without any problems.

Halinja, BSN, RN · Dec 28, 2006

I agree with the response to adrenaline. Fight or flight. Anger would be a normal reaction.

On the car seat issue...I'm sure it has to do with the angle of the seat. If you read what actually happened to the babies, their heads fell forward, compressing their airway. If the seat was angled just a teensy bit flatter, their heads wouldn't be ABLE to flop forward that far while still being semi upright. Grin. Semi-fowlers instead of high-fowlers.

TrudyRN · Dec 28, 2006

You need a licence to drive, a licence to own a gun and have to go through an exhaustive home study, interviews, classes and background checks to adopt, but any idiot with the right plumbing can have a baby. I think our society needs to re-order its priorities.

including the mentally ill

JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 28, 2006

including the mentally ill

Mentally ill is a broad term. Don't forget that many forms of mental illness are treatable/manageable these days. Are you implying that anyone with a psychiatric diagnosis shouldn't be allowed to be a parent?

UKRNinUSA, RN · Dec 28, 2006

Okay guys, I realize anger was not a politically correct response. I wasn't angry at the mother. I was angry at the situation and at the fact that a kid could have easily died over stupidity. Isn't this what this whole thread is about? And my anger was fueled by compassion. Compassion for the child, and for the ignorant mother. Social workers had been previously notified and I am sure they had made follow up visits etc, but apparently they were not successful in educating this mother either. This is another case of "needing a license to breed." I was not angry at the mother personally. I was angry because a poor innocent child could have died and there wasn't a single thing I could do to fix the situation. I and others had all ready given PLENTY of nutritional advice. I'm sorry I said I was angry but when a beautiful child (albeit with crappy genes) has to suffer and maybe potentially die over an adults stupidity, I sometimes get emotional. I am sorry I am a human being.

Anger is a completely valid response. Do not apologize for being angry. I do not understand why anyone else could not understand why you would be angry. Hey, even Jesus got angry. IMO not enough people are angry.

BTW -how did you manage to restrain yourself from backhanding this idiot. Personally I would have needed to call security on myself to put me in 4 point leather restraints. But then I get angry. Human first, nurse second.

UKRNinUSA, RN · Dec 28, 2006

If they couldn't afford a crib, how could they afford a pit bull puppy.

I would just like to say one more thing.

KEEP PIT BULLS AWAY FROM KIDS BECAUSE PIT BULLS KILL KIDS, NOT ALL KIDS, NOT ALL PIT BULLS, BUT ENOUGH. WHY TAKE THE RISK?

squeakykitty · Dec 28, 2006

when my son was about one year old i read a story in my local paper. the woman was sueing our local police dept for killing her dog after they were called to her house because her dog had killed their baby. she was upset because she said she could have another baby, but nobody would ever be able to replace her "doggy", he was special.
my son is 24 now and i have never forgotten that story. by the way the judge dropped the lawsuit against the police. hopefullly this woman didn't "pop" out any more babies. now days the woman would be prosecuted for child endangerment along with the dog being shot, but back then these things were still considered "unfortunate accidents", thank god times have changed.

it's sickening how low some people put their kids on their list of priorities. i hope she didn't have any more kids (or even dogs). :trout: i can't believe she thought her dog was more special than her baby.:angryfire it's also sickening when they let someone abuse their kids. i read a story a few years ago about this mother cat who saved her five kittens from a fire, even though she got badly burned herself. you can find the story on this link. scarlett the cat - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia this cat is a much better mother than some people are.

wincha · Dec 28, 2006

including the mentally ill

Uncalled for. Do you realize that insurance companies will do anything NOT to treat the mentally ill or provide coverage? How can the mentally ill get treated when they are limited to so many visits to their doc or therapy even up to 10 to 20 per year? The meds are very expensive and there are not generics to take care of all symptons. Many conditions are treatable but it is a fight to get good care.

wincha · Dec 28, 2006

Ok, I'm sorry this is off topic but would someone please explain to me why a baby sleeping in a car seat at night is dangerous ? (I am not talking about a situation with the animals which was gross negligence on the part of the parents). Honestly, I have never before heard anyone say anything before negative about it (and I knew other parents who did it) and the pediatrician never said anything against it. I also remember thinking if I put her in her crib (on a different floor in my house) in the corificeat, it would seam so much more dangerous in terms of being trapped in the rare case of something bad happening. On the floor she was just inches away from the ground (as opposed to between a car seat and crib bars and mattress). Plus just feet away from me to feed her a couple times a night. To me, it just seems safer. She is older now, but I would never want to do anything that would endanger my child. Other than this insident with the animals, has anyone heard of something bad happening to a baby from sleeping in a car seat? (Please forgive me for hijacking this thread!)

I know what you are talking about. Car seat, pumpkin seat I have heard moms having to do this to keep a baby close by at night with a bad cold or reflux. I don't see a difference in a crib in a seat or on the floor when restrained properly. The crib might not be in your room. However if you have animals the child should always be protected. I see later a post about SIDS and corificeats. I never did see that one study. Worked as a peds nurse for over 15 years taking call for peds. Is that study very new, I changed jobs over a year ago.