More: Florida vegan mom arrested, accused of neglecting newborn (FoX5 KVVU-TV, 26. June 2014)
It says the police broke into her house to arrest her and take the newborn to the hospital. Sounds quite dramatic.
Vegan mom arrested for neglecting newborn
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It says the police broke into her house to arrest her and take the newborn to the hospital. Sounds quite dramatic.
Chryssie
Internet Junkie
This is near where I live and is all over the news. 
According to a legal expert I saw on the local news, the state CAN and WILL step in if they feel the child is in danger. The woman cited "religious" reasons for wanting a second opinion on the baby's health. She is a 7th Day Adventist and said she wanted a "vegan" doctor. I think she is just nuts! This gives vegan a bad name once again in the media.
Here is the link to the local news report which has a little more detail: http://www.myfoxorlando.com/story/25872683/mom-arrested-for-refusing-to-admit-child-to-hospital
According to a legal expert I saw on the local news, the state CAN and WILL step in if they feel the child is in danger. The woman cited "religious" reasons for wanting a second opinion on the baby's health. She is a 7th Day Adventist and said she wanted a "vegan" doctor. I think she is just nuts! This gives vegan a bad name once again in the media.Here is the link to the local news report which has a little more detail: http://www.myfoxorlando.com/story/25872683/mom-arrested-for-refusing-to-admit-child-to-hospital
OP
OP
The story resonates with me because we were afraid we'd end up in a similar situation when our daughter was a newborn. Initially, she had trouble feeding, and the hospital insisted we should feed her dairy formula, despite there being a perfectly fine soya-based formula available. Fortunately, we were able to give her enough expressed milk instead, so we didn't have to take that confrontation with the hospital.
Sure, if this infant was really having issues gaining weight, then it's a good thing the hospital/doctor wanted to have a look at her. But if they were being held to a higher standard because the mom is a vegan, then that is obviously a problem. Also, it's disappointing the doctor couldn't work something out with the mom that was acceptable to all parties. Taking an infant away from its mom must be a very last resort. This must be horribly traumatic to both the infant and the mom.
Sure, if this infant was really having issues gaining weight, then it's a good thing the hospital/doctor wanted to have a look at her. But if they were being held to a higher standard because the mom is a vegan, then that is obviously a problem. Also, it's disappointing the doctor couldn't work something out with the mom that was acceptable to all parties. Taking an infant away from its mom must be a very last resort. This must be horribly traumatic to both the infant and the mom.
Clueless Git
Plant powered
Infancy is a bit of a vegan dichotomy ...
It's the one period in life that we are geared up to consume an animal product.
It's the one period in life that we are geared up to consume an animal product.
ledboots
Peace
Breast milk is not really an animal product per se. It is the mammal's way to nourish her newborn between the birth and the ability of the baby to fully digest other foods.
Newborn human and other mammals are not born with their immune, digestive, and other systems fully developed and thus need the mother's milk to complete this development in the most healthy fashion.
As a lactation nurse currently, I have a huge rant against dairy companies, artificial milk manufacturers, etc. Remond me sometime to tell you about the old book The Politics of Breastfeeding by Gabrielle (cant think.of last name.) Anyway, gotta go into work.
Breastfeeding is definitely vegan!!!
Newborn human and other mammals are not born with their immune, digestive, and other systems fully developed and thus need the mother's milk to complete this development in the most healthy fashion.
As a lactation nurse currently, I have a huge rant against dairy companies, artificial milk manufacturers, etc. Remond me sometime to tell you about the old book The Politics of Breastfeeding by Gabrielle (cant think.of last name.) Anyway, gotta go into work.
Breastfeeding is definitely vegan!!!
Clueless Git
Plant powered
100%, Yes.
What when a mother can neither breastfeed nor express enough milk to properly nourish her infant though?
beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
How can something be simultaneously an animal product and vegan?
And with regard to breast milk, why should it matter?
And with regard to breast milk, why should it matter?
ledboots
Peace
There used to be human milk banks, but they are few and far between these days after the AIDS epidemic. There are soy formulas for vegan parents. Most women, however, can produce plenty of milk if they are given adequate time with their baby and have the support of family.
ledboots
Peace
Vegans should not be told that breastfeeding isn't vegan is my point. Breast milk matters a great deal, in fact, for the infant's lifelong health, for the mother's health, and environmentally.
Chryssie
Internet Junkie
I was wondering why that woman wasn't breastfeeding since I thought that was always recommended.
OP
OP
Maybe she just couldn't do it. Maybe it had been a difficult birth, and she didn't receive proper support afterwards. There is no mention of the child's father, so it sounds like she was on her own.
Clueless Git
Plant powered
Clueless Git
Plant powered
Anyways, I read that article. Here's what I saw ...
The problem was that the baby was suffering from dehydration.
I.e. The mother wasn't feeding the baby enough liquid, milk.
Authorities say that the mother must feed the baby and recommend the standard cow milk/formula.
Mother says she won't do that and that she has non animal milk for baby instead.
Mother clearly isn't feeding the baby the non animal milk anyway or the baby would not have dehydrated in the first place.
The issue of animal/non-animal product thus has nothing to do with the actual problem.
The actual problem is that the mother can't be assed (for reasons as yet unclear) to feed the baby enough of either type of milk.
The mother then uses veganism as an excuse for not feeding her baby enough milk. Not even enough of the vegan milk the mother claims to have.
Total irrelevance of the vegan angle of the mothers excuse making is thus made abundantly clear.
Media ignore the abundantly clear irrelevance of the vegan angle of the mothers excuse making.
Media seizes the omni-heard pleasing headline grabbing "further proof that veganism inherently equals child abuse" pile of old bollox gleefully with both hands.
The real headline here is something like ...
"Wonderfull vegan bashing opportunity arises! (Baby suffers in meantime; The actual reason for ... Well, who gives a damn?)
The problem was that the baby was suffering from dehydration.
I.e. The mother wasn't feeding the baby enough liquid, milk.
Authorities say that the mother must feed the baby and recommend the standard cow milk/formula.
Mother says she won't do that and that she has non animal milk for baby instead.
Mother clearly isn't feeding the baby the non animal milk anyway or the baby would not have dehydrated in the first place.
The issue of animal/non-animal product thus has nothing to do with the actual problem.
The actual problem is that the mother can't be assed (for reasons as yet unclear) to feed the baby enough of either type of milk.
The mother then uses veganism as an excuse for not feeding her baby enough milk. Not even enough of the vegan milk the mother claims to have.
Total irrelevance of the vegan angle of the mothers excuse making is thus made abundantly clear.
Media ignore the abundantly clear irrelevance of the vegan angle of the mothers excuse making.
Media seizes the omni-heard pleasing headline grabbing "further proof that veganism inherently equals child abuse" pile of old bollox gleefully with both hands.
The real headline here is something like ...
"Wonderfull vegan bashing opportunity arises! (Baby suffers in meantime; The actual reason for ... Well, who gives a damn?)
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ledboots
Peace
Unless the non-human milk was specifically made for infants, a newborn could easily dehydrate or starve to death. So if she just bought some Silk almond milk and gave that to the infant, she would think she was feeding the baby just fine.
I agree the that the media loves to pounce on vegans. And Floridians, so a vegan Floridian being so stupid as to starve her newborn is media gold!
I agree the that the media loves to pounce on vegans. And Floridians, so a vegan Floridian being so stupid as to starve her newborn is media gold!
OP
OP
Update - Sarah Markham regains custody (on the condition she meets with a nutritionist):
More: Vegan mom Sarah Markham regains custody of son Caleb | Daily Mail Online (13. Nov. 2014)
Trinity
YES!
It sounds like a case of doctor didn't like to be challenged/questioned by a patient who he couldn't quite fit into a box and used his authority to boost his ego!
Blobbenstein
.......
ledboots
Peace
All those months, infant and mother separated?
Unbelievable. And soy infant formula is not rare or only used by vegans. Many infants are cow milk lactose intolerant and drink soy formula just fine. No one calls it "vegan formula". :rolls eyes:How about the dept. of children and families spend their time on real child abusers, not mothers of 12-day old infants who need education on infant care, and maybe a few good night's sleep. [emoji35]
OP
OP
It sounds like the mother's parents had custody until now, so perhaps mother and child weren't entirely separated. Still pretty horrific that it should take this long.All those months, infant and mother separated?
And yes, agreed on the infant formula!
