The 'wheel' is not enough: help for mothers who wish to be mothers

Cots for life and the possibility of giving birth anonymously are very important. But the note left by the mother of Noemi, the baby left at the Red Cross headquarters in Bergamo, speaks of a desire that circumstances have made impracticable. What is needed is a place where, when they want to be mothers, women in difficulty can find all the support and assistance they need
Please be aware that the translation of contents, although automatic, has a cost to Feminist Post but is provided to you without any charge. Please consider making a contribution via the "Support us" page if you intend to use our translation service intensively.
The contents of this site are translated using automatic translation systems without the intervention of professional translators.
Translations are provided for the sole purpose of facilitating reading by international visitors.
Share this article

At child left by her mother in the Cradle for Life in Bergamo -it used to be called Wheel- was given the name of Noemi. Noemi will soon have a family and a home, hopefully for her "all the good and happiness in the world', as his mother wished in a touching note that manages to tell a life story in just a few lines:  

"Born this morning 3/5/2023, at home. Just me and her as in these 9 months. I can't, but I wish her all the good and happiness in the world. A kiss forever (from mum). I entrust you with an important piece of my life that I will surely never forget'.

La "ruota" non basta: un aiuto alle madri che desiderano esserlo

Cradles for life are an important presidium and it is good that this is publicised. Just as it is good to be known that every woman can give birth anonymously in hospital -that is, without recognising the infant who will be placed in adoptive status-. avoiding the risks of a home birth and often in solitude as it was for Noemi's mother.

But at least in some cases, probably in this case, Let us start from the text of his noteperhaps the woman -who wanted to appoint herself as 'mum'.even though by the way), saying "me and her" and speaking of "an important piece of my life'- would not want to part with the creature. Perhaps that 'I can't' could have become a 'I can' and that 'mum' could have come out of the parenthesis if the necessary help had not been lacking. That note reads a desire destined to remain unfulfilled.

This is not always the case. Perhaps only in a minority of cases is this the case. But It happens, as in this case, that desire is not lacking and it is circumstances that make it impracticable.

Then to the two headmasters -anonymous childbirth, cradles for life- perhaps a third should be added, a place where mothers in distress who want to and do not want to separate from their children can get the help they needThis means: continuous financial support, a job when it is lacking, someone, a single person or a family, who is committed to accompanying the mother in the commitment and joy of raising the child. The solutions can be varied, every story is different.

Perhaps some such places already exist, in part the Life Help Centres - such as the CAV Mangiagalli in Milan founded by Paola Bonzi- fulfil this function. But They should be de-hospitalised, institutionalised and 'secularised', making them places of encounter and relationships.

Can it be done?

Marina Terragni


Much of the news published by Feminist Post you will not read elsewhere. That is why it is important to support us, even with a small contribution: Feminist Post is produced solely by the voluntary work of many people and has no funding.
If you think our work can be useful for your life, we will be grateful for even the smallest contribution.

You can give us your contribution by clicking here: Patreon - Feminist Post
You might also be interested in
26 May 2023
This time it is: in the skin of children
Against the ruling of the Court of Cassation, which prevents the full transcription of birth certificates of children born from surrogacy by allowing only the biological parent to be named and indicating stepchild adoption for his or her partner, some male couples in Milan are undertaking a new form of resistance: not even registering the biological parent - or both or neither - leaving the child in an administrative limbo in which, in this case, he or she would be deprived of the most elementary rights, from paediatrician to school
After the Prefecture of Milan, in application of a ruling by the Court of Cassation, blocked the transcription of the full birth certificates of children born on the initiative of same-sex couples - indicating that only the biological parent should be transcribed and the stepchild adoption, i.e. adoption in special cases, which is perfectly legitimate, should be the only way forward - the municipality of Milan is experiencing this, according to the report by Roberta Osculati, PD vice-president of the City Council: same-sex couples [...].
Read now
15 May 2023
Jama: when men give birth
In an incredible, recently published study, the American Medical Association's journal, one of the most important in the field, tries to give scientific backing to the idea that childbirth is not just a female experience. Because if it were exclusive, it would also be exclusionary. An operation on language in collision with reality
As we know, there are words that can no longer be used, especially in international scientific documents and studies. At the top of the list of tabooed words are all the terms that have to do with female difference understood as the exclusive possibility of giving birth to human beings, and thus: 'woman' -if biologically understood and not open to define persons not born women-, 'mother' and 'maternal', 'breast', with reference to breast-feeding, and so on. The operation on language aims to qualify [...].
Read now
11 May 2023
The Istanbul Convention belongs to women! The Right does not obstruct Europe's ratification
By abstaining from yesterday's vote, preliminary to the European accession to the most important treaty against violence against women, the MEPs of the Lega and Fratelli d'Italia gave in to the pressure of the Pro Vita, who read that document as anti-family and pro-gender (the same concerns expressed by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan). But Italy has already acceded to the Convention and apparently this is not the government's orientation. And Lgbtq claims have nothing to do with it. Women between two misogynist fires: religious extremism and queer instrumentalisation
Yesterday, a resolution was passed in Europe calling on the EU to accede to the Istanbul Convention (2011), the most important international treaty -legally binding- against violence against women and domestic violence. Italy has already ratified the Convention in 2013, while 6 European countries (Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia) have not yet done so. Yesterday's vote is preliminary to the accession of the entire EU to the Convention. Incredibly, the MEPs of Fratelli d'Italia and the Lega abstained from the vote. [...]
Read now
4 May 2023
Baby Fair in Milan: something to hide?
A strict and detailed code of conduct imposed on those attending Wish for a Baby, an assisted reproduction exhibition. Strictly personal badges, a ban on filming and handing out flyers, the threat of expulsion, even appropriate clothing, bag searches and scanners. And uniformed or plainclothes policemen to keep watch. Why so much caution? Isn't this just an information event on the various techniques? Perhaps there will also be talk of surrogacy, the propaganda of which is a crime in Italy? Or are they just trying to frighten off those who intend to be there to peacefully protest against the reproduction market?
Those who have registered for the Wish for a Baby fair scheduled to take place on 20-21 May in Milan have received in the last few hours this strict and detailed code of conduct that they will have to strictly adhere to if they want to be admitted to the event. But if it is, as the website explains, a 'celebration of new life', meeting 'the best fertility experts from around the world', 'attending seminars' and obtaining information, why all these [...]
Read now
13 April 2023
Why 'asking' Schlein is a mistake
The open letter of 'one hundred feminists' to the PD secretary is based on false hopes: Elly Schlein will not change her positions on the uterus for rent. Nor on the other issues of the transhuman umbrella that the letter does not mention - starting with free gender identity - and that structure her Zan-transfeminist political identity. Is it worth adopting a begging posture?
We hope that the 'hundred feminists' who have written to Elly Schlein - and with a good part of whom we are in constant political contact - will be better off than us, who as the Network for the Inviolability of the Female Body during the primaries had asked for a meeting with the future secretary: not even a hint of a reply. Nor did we expect it, despite the long-standing acquaintance of some of us with her. We did not join the appeal of the 'hundred feminists' who intend to confront Schlein on motherhood [...].
Read now
23 March 2023
Petrillo: my body doesn't count, I want to use women's showers. And withdraws from the Torun World Championships for reasons of 'safety'
Winning competitions is not enough: Petrillo also claims to use the women's changing rooms after the Italian Athletics Federation at the request of female athletes decided on reserved spaces. "The state recognises me as a woman, male genitals don't count. Besides,' she sneers, 'it certainly won't be the first time they see them. In the meantime, she renounces the next world championships for 'security' reasons.
A few days ago, we published a report on the competition of Valentina born Fabrizio Petrillo in Ancona, with the reactions of the female athletes beaten by her male body. The female athletes made it clear that, although they respected Petrillo's personal journey, athletically they were not on a par and that they felt discriminated against. The statements made by the female athletes to the Feminist Post were taken up by other newspapers, including Il Giornale (here), and provoked comments from Petrillo, who had [...]
Read now
1 2 3 ... 19