Of course, everyone knows that babies can’t speak yet. But according to Deanne Carson, infants are still able to communicate in other ways.
She believes little ones can express through their body language and responses when they are comfortable with being changed.
Carson shared her unusual perspective during an interview on ABC News back in 2018, and unsurprisingly, the remarks quickly drew strong reactions from viewers and parents alike.
“Of course the baby is not going to respond ‘yes mum, that’s awesome. I’d love to have my nappy changed’,” Deanne admitted during the segment.
“But if you leave a space, and wait for body language and wait to make eye contact, then you’re letting that child know that their response matters.”
It probably comes as no surprise that Deanne’s views were not warmly welcomed by most parents, with many describing them as completely impractical.
One frustrated parent took to Twitter and wrote: “Either she has never wrestled a toddler during a change or worse, she just left hers in a sh*tty nappy until it was ready to consent.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” fumed a third commenter. “A child relies their parent to take care of them and that includes personal hygiene! Especially as toddlers and babies.”
At the same time, there were a few who acknowledged that the principle of consent itself is important, but they felt Carson had pushed the idea far beyond what made sense in real life parenting.
A couple of years later, the debate resurfaced when a well-known childcare chain appeared to adopt a similar line of thinking.
They began advising parents to ask for their child’s agreement before changing diapers, echoing some of the same ideas Carson had originally suggested.
“Ask for your baby’s help, talk them through what you are doing and encourage the use of senses,” the advice read, according to The Herald Sun.
“When toddlers become mobile, nappy changing may look quite different. Continue to ask for co-operation but understand that your toddler may wish to now stand for their nappy change.”
That kind of advice certainly raised eyebrows and left many parents questioning whether such practices are truly helpful, or just another example of taking a good principle a little too far.
