Should cot cards be gender neutral or dont you mind pink and blue?

[EachandEveryone]

Thats it really. We need to order a load more and theres no point wasting the NHS money. I just wondered if we had moved on from pink and blue as i notice a lot more babies are being dressed in neutral colours. Or, does it not bother you?

So, these are essentially labels for the cots in hospital?

Plain white, wipe clean, hygienic and cheap as possible.

What a load of unmitigated bollox on this thread.

I have DS’s cot label still, it’s pale blue. I treasure it,

AnotherEmma rudeness like yours is the REAL problem, grow up .

Just use white ones. Mine had a little white bracelet with all that info on. Can parents chose perhaps?

I think it's lovely that you are worrying about it. I had a board above the bed. The consultant's name was Mr Pompous; mine was OhThe Roses. I asked what the consultant's first name was and replaced Mr with it. Midwife shouted at me for being discourteous; I noted it was an Equality issue. Was 24 years ago.

Do you get my point.

Can’t believe all these parents asking what a cot label is?

Don’t you keep your babies cot labels? Little paper labels with ribbon or string ties which goes on the bedside cot when you first have your baby.

This is ridiculous. They are medical labels for hospital use, not decoration. I didn’t notice what dd had, I didn’t even know they came in colours. Trying to think back I think it was plain white, but not 100% sure.

We didn't have them 24 years ago Delores. Why So strange people are asking? Don't they have the little ankle bracelets anymore? Can't see why they are necessary.

@deloresjaneumbridge I'm a parent and I asked because I didn't know what they are. When I had my babies, (not scbu) the cot was next to my bed and did not have a label on it at all. I had a tag and so did the babies (which I have kept) but the cot didn't.

Plus, the op said cot card not cot label, which is less obvious if you haven't heard of them before.

@DeloresJaneUmbridge

Please could you tell me which post of mine you found rude?

I'm wondering whether you got me mixed up with someone else.

OP, I would say plain colours would be best, probably cheaper, less gaff and no worrying about the risk of people being upset by the 'wrong' colour.

When I was packing to go home from hospital, it never occurred to me to start stripping random labels off stuff.

Is this something older generations did? Most maternity units are so under funded and badly staffed, I'd imagine the last thing they would be doing is mucking about with bits of ribbon. It was hard enough getting adequate pain relief and a hot drink.

I can't believe two people have told me to "grow up"

Ironically, not the most mature and nuanced comment to make in a discussion

(Less faff)!

AnotherEmma I don't understand what you've said that's 'rude' either...

Also, I would advise against growing up. It's very over-rated.

I never had one either. I had 2 in a midwife unit and one in a main labour ward. They never left my side. When I was transferred to the ward from the labour room I carried him in my lap.

Even my 12 year old has correctly identified that adulting sucks.

By 'gender neutral' I simply meant not ascribing pink labels to girls and blue labels to boys. I can't see how anyone could make the leap from that comment to think I was referring to the wider issue of gender neutrality! Of course you're a boy or a girl, but you don't need a pink or blue label to prove it.

I had two babies in SCBU and neither had a "cot card". I would have been mildly irritated if there had been a blue label for them and a pink one for girls. I would just go for a single plain colour for all.

TBF I think the pink/blue thing in a hospital is a bit counter-intuitive. You knowbthat bastion where equality and diversity is King and adjustments made for all the orotected characteristics in a way that often ensues in enhanced care when the rump of the funding population are all too often subjected to poor manners, sub-optimal care and told to suck it up because it's free.

Generally white paper/card is cheaper than coloured card and can't cause offence so use that.

We trialled pink, blue and pink options with no reference to boy or girl. It's the same price to have the 3 colours and aren't dates sensitive so over ordering isn't an issue. Choice is important. Majority of mums chose pink for girls and blue for boys which is a helpful visual que.

Personally I'm not bothered re the colours it's the images that irritate me - rocket for boys and hearts for girls etc.

*Can’t believe all these parents asking what a cot label is?

Don’t you keep your babies cot labels? Little paper labels with ribbon or string ties which goes on the bedside cot when you first have your baby.*

I assumed it was part of the ward admin so different staff knew which baby was which. So a medical necessity rather than a little keepsake. I didn’t know we could take them with us (not that I would’ve anyway). She also had an ankle tag that I didn’t keep.

I’d have been very offended if it was blue lol

Offended? Really?

Mad.

Can’t believe all these parents asking what a cot label is?

Don’t you keep your babies cot labels? Little paper labels with ribbon or string ties which goes on the bedside cot when you first have your baby

I asked because I don’t know what it is.
Mine didn’t go in a cot. They were born, had skin to skin/a feed, DH held them while I showered and then we went home. No cot and no cot labels.

@m0therofdragons what is the helpful visual cue for? Is it vital to know immediately what sex the baby is?