Baby Drowns During Baptism

[Bennn]

That is terrible. May this child's soul rest in the Bosom of Christ.

[havok579257]

[quote name='mcts' timestamp='1281724486' post='2156572']
The OP made it sound like it was commonplace and that the Priest was being negligent by not doing so.
[/quote]


if your dunking a newborns head underwater then you need to cover his mouth or he will die from drowning. newborns do not have the ability to hold thier breaths under water. to not cover his mouth is neglectful and should be considered mansluaghter. its common knowledge to cover a newborns mouth when putting them under water.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='havok579257' timestamp='1281749080' post='2156903']
if your dunking a newborns head underwater then you need to cover his mouth or he will die from drowning. newborns do not have the ability to hold thier breaths under water.
[/quote]
Not true. Humans have what is called a "diving reflex," which is present from birth. When cool water hits its face, a baby reflexively holds his breath. I'm not sure how long it lasts, but it would be sufficient for a quick dip or three.

[havok579257]

[quote name='Terra Firma' timestamp='1281751187' post='2156914']
Not true. Humans have what is called a "diving reflex," which is present from birth. When cool water hits its face, a baby reflexively holds his breath. I'm not sure how long it lasts, but it would be sufficient for a quick dip or three.
[/quote]



uh wrong. when a baby goes under water and there is no air he immediatly tries to gasp for breath. this causes him to smell of elderberries in water and drown. its the reason your not supposed to submerse newborns while giving them a bath.

[Moosey]

Um do you have something to prove your theory, havok?

[Apotheoun]

The Churches of the East have been triple dunking babies in water for baptism since the time of the ancient Fathers.

[LadyOfSorrows]

Wow...this is so unfortunate for both parties...

[Caritas]

[quote name='Terra Firma' timestamp='1281751187' post='2156914']
Not true. Humans have what is called a "diving reflex," which is present from birth. When cool water hits its face, a baby reflexively holds his breath. I'm not sure how long it lasts, but it would be sufficient for a quick dip or three.
[/quote]


[quote name='havok579257' timestamp='1281752332' post='2156919']
uh wrong. when a baby goes under water and there is no air he immediatly tries to gasp for breath. this causes him to smell of elderberries in water and drown. its the reason your not supposed to submerse newborns while giving them a bath.
[/quote]

Babies do have a diving reflex to prevent drowning. However, there is a problem: it only works for cold water, and not room temperature water (as the baptismal water probably is/was).

Baptisms are, I'm assuming, frequently done in this manner in the East, and this is just a freak (and very sad) occurrence. Still, if I had a baby I wouldn't feel comfortable having his face submerged for baptism.

edit: Obviously, it still isn't advisable to put a baby in danger of drowning simply because they have the dive reflex. I'm not saying baptisms by immersion do this, but some precaution should be taken.

Edited August 14, 2010 by Caritas

[Sojourner]

[quote name='havok579257' timestamp='1281752332' post='2156919']
uh wrong. when a baby goes under water and there is no air he immediatly tries to gasp for breath. this causes him to smell of elderberries in water and drown. its the reason your not supposed to submerse newborns while giving them a bath.
[/quote]
[url="http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-true-that-babies-are-born-with-the-ability-to-swim-and_10313062.bc"]Source.[/url]
[quote]The dive reflex

This reflex, also called the bradycardic response, causes babies to hold their breath and open their eyes when submerged, says Jeffrey Wagener, a pediatric pulmonologist in Denver. Parents can get this same reaction by blowing in their baby's face. The response weakens as a baby gets older, but even adults have it to some degree.

Swedish researchers studying the dive reflex in 21 infants between 4 to 12 months old found that none of them inhaled water or choked during "diving" (being pulled underwater). They also noted that the babies didn't seem apprehensive about the next dive. In fact, some seemed eager to dive again!

Many infant swim programs rely on the dive reflex to allow babies to "swim" before they're old enough to hold their breath intentionally.[/quote]

What's your source?