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A ray of light in a desperate situation
For the past 25 years, Baby Window has enabled mothers in extreme emergency situations to leave their newborns in safe hands. Baby Window offers assistance to women who find themselves in a desperate situation. It allows mothers to leave their newborns under medical supervision at a hospital, anonymously and legally, by placing the baby in a heated cot through a window with a built in privacy shield. An information letter is available for the mother to take with her. After about three minutes, an alarm notifies the hospital’s midwives, who take care of the child. Babies are later placed with foster or adoptive parents. They cannot be adopted for at least one year. Until then, parents can reclaim their child.
A presence in eight Swiss cities
Switzerland’s first Baby Window was opened at Einsiedeln Hospital on 9 May 2001. Today, this support service is available in Basel, Bellinzona, Bern, Davos, Schwyz, Olten, Zurich and Sion. The aim is to prevent child abandonment and save lives. According to surveys conducted by the operators of six Baby Windows (excl. Zurich and Sion), a total of 31 babies have been left at a Baby Window over the past 24 years. Six of these were subsequently reclaimed by their parents. The parents of seven other babies came forward to leave information about their origin and identity for their children.
These figures clearly show that there is a social need for anonymous options to give up newborn babies and that this service is used by mothers in extreme emergency situations.
