Meet the New Gerber's Baby

His name is Lucas.



In a day and age when in some countries, Lucas would have been eradicated. It turns out he his life has value after all.

But we all understand the moral and political context. If you’re pro-life, and most of you reading this are, you know that Down’s babies are treated by most would-be parents as undesirables. They’re aborted at astronomical rates. In some European countries virtually 100 percent are killed in the womb; in the United States, a more religious nation, the rate is “only” two-thirds or so. The odds were against Lucas even being born. Now here’s Gerber’s making him the face of its product, an obvious statement about the value of Down’s children’s lives. He’s desirable after all.

Even in the US, the odds were stacked against him. Only about 1/3 of babies born with Down's are brought to term.

And he is cute, very cute. It's easy to see why he's the Gerber Baby. He looks like it.

a reply to: ketsuko

I don't get the big deal here. He's a baby. He's absolutely adorable. Seems like a reasonable choice for Gerber to make.

That said, to your larger political point...i do appreciate that quite a bit. I just wish that we really walked the walk when it comes to valuing life. I value this young mans life as much as I value some random stranger living in the middle east. I want both to live, and to find happiness.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Right now it's legal to kill both.

I wonder if Iceland will blush when they sell the new jar labels over there?

a reply to: ketsuko

I’m ok with aborting undesired babies. Although, that little guy is cute. I leave it up to the parents, and mostly the mother. I don’t think people should be forced to keep babies that they don’t want. Or forced to abort babies that they do want. I am not pro abortion. I would prefer parents adopt out their undesired kids rather than abort them, but i am pro choice. Period.

originally posted by: Butterfinger
I wonder if Iceland will blush when they sell the new jar labels over there?

They will probably abort the jars at first sight.

Why discriminate? Abort all babies.

Bravo Gerber and the parents!

The way we are heading, the idea of infanticide being acceptable has gone entirely out of control. If it continues a couple of generations from now, nurseries in hospitals will be like killing fields when killing a newborn with a defect will be SOP.

originally posted by: Woodcarver

originally posted by: Butterfinger
I wonder if Iceland will blush when they sell the new jar labels over there?

They will probably abort the jars at first sight.

Savage!

a reply to: Woodcarver

Here's the thing - My husband was adopted as a baby as were two of my nephews, clearly, no one makes a person keep a baby they don't want.

Maybe if it were easier for parents who want children to adopt, there would less of this assumption that getting pregnant means getting saddled/punished with a child.

As it stands, husband and I would like to adopt, but there is so much red tape. We followed a friend of my husband's in his and his wife's quest to adopt and it was neverending quest of over a year to satisfy the state.

a reply to: Woodcarver

"Undesired babies". Yeah, just murder them. What a #ty world we live in. If you don't want a kid, don't make one.

a reply to: ketsuko

My situation will, within the next few months, be such that I, too, can adopt. But, as a 50 year old plus unmarried male, I stand little chance of being approved.

That is an adorable little guy, Gerber's made a fine choice.

originally posted by: Butterfinger
I wonder if Iceland will blush when they sell the new jar labels over there?

I doubt it. It's the mothers choice in Iceland to have the screening tests that detect DS. I personally wouldn't abort my own baby because of that diagnosis; but, in any country where there is no overbearing social/religious stigma about this, lots of parents would make the same choice.

a reply to: ketsuko


The way the country is today, I'd not be surprised if there are people hoping they have a downs baby.
When my wife was pregnant people would ask me what I wanted.
I always replied "10 fingers, 10 toes and healthy"

a reply to: Bluntone22

I have no desire to have any more children. And I would never want to bring another downs child into the world on purpose.

But my wife and I have discussed adopting a special needs child. Our nest is empty, and we still have enormous amounts of love to share with a child. And I know there are children out there who need some of that kind of action.

Has Gerbers' lost their minds? What's the message here? "Give your baby this product and watch him turn into a retarded kid?" That's the way the moms are going to interpret it (mostly on a subconscious level). Why don't they just put a cute thalidomide baby on the label?

What were they thinking??? Worst marketing move ever.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

I can understand adopting a child that is already born.
But I really don't understand why I would willingly bring a child into the world that will never have full mental capacity.
To me it almost feels like cruelty.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Cruelty? How? If a baby is born with downs and they know nothing else how is that cruel? Do you believe the same for deaf or blind babies or ones missing limbs etc? You think it's cruel because you know life with limbs and eyes etc. They dont, and perhaps they posses something unique that you and I will never know. It's extremely self righteousness to think the way you are, even if your intentions are good.

Nowadays most People need two people working in order to live.
If a pregnant woman knows her child will need constant care for the life she should have a choice BEFORE there is a real child to think about.

An embryo is not a child. Most People want to adopt healthy children. Many children who are no adapted suffer abuse because of the constant stress of caregivers.

I have a friend who had taken 6 kids with special needs. Rare person.

I struggle with this one. I am generally pro-life, but don't really have an issue with parents who choose to abort if a child has a serious genetic defect. I know I probably would have aborted had it been known one of our children had DS.

Maybe it is me, but it seems Gerber is trying too hard to get accolades. I don't really get why there is a need to put a kid with down syndrome on the bottle.