earlier this week a baby was found in a field outside pueblo, co., clad only
in a diaper. obviously, she had only been there briefly. she was found to be
approx. 5 - 6 weeks old, weighed about 5 lbs. (!) and was malnourished,
dehydrated, feverish, etc., but otherwise okay. the woman who found her
confessed to being the mother, a 25 yr. old letter carrier, and told this
bizarre story: she didn't want her boyfriend to know she was pregnant so she
hid the pregnancy by telling people she had gained weight because of "hormone
shots" (i'll say) and that she lost the weight by stopping the hormone shots.

she gave birth at home and hid the baby in her unheated car at night when her
boyfriend was awake (its been very cold at night since this baby was born,
after all folks, we are in colorado and at altitude). after he fell asleep
she would bring the baby in and hide her in the utility room on the floor or
in a cabinet (so "he" wouldn't hear her cry) and she would turn on the dryer
to heat the utility room and hide the crying. during the day when the mother
was at work the baby was left in the apartment with the radio on.

now for the part you have been eagerly anticipating (or dreading) - "she
admitted that during the month she hid 'baby grace' she denied the infant her
breast milk (sic) and fed her regular whole milk because she was afraid of
'bonding' with her."
(exact quote from the denver post oct. 26)

now, admittedly this person is (what would the correct word be?) - i can't
even say it, suffering a psychological problem, and it is plain that the
boyfriend is the hands-down winner of the "most unobservant man on the
planet" award. but i feel that this,  is further proof of how little we value
our children in america, that a woman believes that having a baby would mean
the end of her relationship with a man, and would do this.

carol brussel IBCLC

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