Shivers

While searching for Dom Lalek (click if you missed it), I initially saw a lot of things except that mysterious doll house.

At Hoża street I passed a convent, a place where nuns live, or come together if they live elsewhere. I see them in the bus sometimes. A funny moment was when I saw one "Siostra" (Sister) playing with a brand new iPhone which was released to the market just days before. And another wearing Nike Air Max 90's. I never saw nuns that modern before. 

However, it was not just that building catching my eye, it was a small window in a big brick wall. The only window in fact, the rest was just wall. Above it was a sign in Polish and the closer I got the more I started to realize what it was. Once I saw an incubator with a small pastel colored blanket through the window, I knew enough. It gave me the shivers.

This was a baby hatch, I never saw one before. I knew them, as I once saw a tv ad of a charity raising money for nuns in South Africa to support the orphans left behind in their baby hatches.

It was such a strange feeling standing there for a moment. I went home but I kept thinking of it, really wanted to know more.

But what exactly is a baby hatch?

It is a place where where people (typically mothers) can bring babies, usually newborn, and abandon them anonymously in a safe place to be found and cared for. Care which they cannot give.

Do they also have these in the Netherlands? How many of these windows are there nationwide in Poland? Do nuns operate these? How does this actually work? How many children are being left there? 

These were some questions I had so I did some research.

Situation in Poland
In Poland, there are quite a lot of these windows. They are called "Okno życia", which means window of life. The current concept was introduced in 2006. Nationwide, there are 62 of these places in Poland. 60 of them have been used between 2006 and 2016. Many of them are part of convents, similar to the place at Hoża street which I described earlier. This particular one is part of Caritas, a Catholic charity foundation, I think most of them are.

The process 
The window can be opened from the outside, with a heated and ventilated place for a newborn baby on the inside. After opening, a silent alarm will go off. The newborn is placed in the incubator until the arrival of an ambulance, which takes it to hospital. After examination of its health it is being brought to the family emergency room. At the same time, the procedures of assigning identity and adopting are being started.

Situation in other countries
In the Netherlands there are 8 currently, in 2014 the first was opened. 2 of those 8 are in hospitals, operated by several foundations not connected to church. The process is slightly different compared to Poland, as these foundations also offer anonymous services for advice and mental support. To date around 10 babies were left behind at those places.
Neighboring country Belgium shows figures being higher, despite the fact that there is just 1 baby hatch. Germany also shows higher numbers  (relatively, projected against population), but there are many of these places, around a 100 of them are in use now. In some other European countries it is not allowed by law, or do not see the necessity of them. (Sources: fiom.nl beschermdewieg.nl)

For me this was an eye-opener, I really did not know. Nevertheless, I am sure that I will always get the shivers when passing that place.