How not to bathe a newborn.

[foxytocin]

This is distressing so you may not want to watch it if you are feeling emotionally fragile but the father of the baby wants as many people as possible to view it and comment on it on youtube. He wants others to be aware of what can happen in a hospital.
For me the underlying question is how could not intervene! The only answer I have is that in hospital we allow a lot more to be done to us and to our families without questioning their authority - and this is partly why we women become so vulnerable to possible maltreatment when we get there.

soniaweir, what do you mean they had to be taken to a private room at night? were they bathing him at night and he was screaming or did he just cry all night?

Booyhoo - it was my second night in after having DD and her baby never stopped screaming so half way through the night the midwife came and took them both to a private room as us other mums were getting no sleep at all. the next day on my way home the parents of the baby had it under the tap in a communal sink in the ward, not sure if it was hot or cold water but the baby was screaming but the midwives seemed ok with it. i thought it was v strange...and yes it happened in london.:(

that is awful, the screaming i can sort of understand because some babies just don't settle and some don't feed and are hungry but the tap wash is awful!!! can't believe the midwives let it happen.

OMFG!!! Name and shame that bloody bitch and the hospital. I would also go to the papers with this. Totally unacceptable. That poor, poor infant. Why is she so rough with that towel? That little one must have swallowed water and thought it's drowning

I wouldn't treat an animal like this let alone a newborn. Jesus Christ, how disgusting! I hope he sues. Why did he not intervene . I'd have taken that infant off her in a heartbeat.

I thought it might be israel due to hebrew writing on sheets and I think i could recognise what they were saying.

Its seems its normally in Israel to wash babies under a tap.

clip

see 14mins 50seconds in: photos and commentary

"i wonder if there are any other countries that bathe their babies in this way"

I can't see the first link, for which I should probably be grateful judging by the comments and the photo in the link MumNWL posted.

I suppose it leads back to the idea that newborns have no ability to feel, does it? that old chestnut which surely people can't still believe - which led to babies being operated on without anaesthetic because, apparently, their nervous systems are insufficiently developed for them to realise they're in pain. Yeah right.

Its horrific. The opposite of my experience. DD was bathed at the hospital on the second day by a very kind breastfeeding support worker. She was so gentle and DD had a momentary grizzle before realising she loved warm water. I have precious pics of her first bath.... Both the frown face and the 'Aaah' face that followed.