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PaperclipPerfector  11d ago (text post)   3533 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for January 12, 2025

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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Someone on Twitter, jokingly creating fake discourse, writes

Mothers who drive cars subject their babies to accelerations of greater intensity, duration, and frequency than any they'd survive in the premodern world. Every time you hit the breaks it's a mild case of shaking baby syndrome and the effects are cumulative

This was made up in jest, but now it has me genuinely wondering. Wouldn’t quick breaking in a car cause a whiplash-like effect similar to shaking a baby? Is it possible that breaking and certain kinds of exercise are invisibly harming the health of babies while in the womb? I can’t see how there would be a difference between the infant whiplashed outside of womb and in womb except maybe a small reduction in force. I glanced at some studies and falls during pregnancy are associated with fetal complications (also, “falls during pregnancy occur in 25–27% of women and can cause serious harm to both the mother and the fetus” is insane and makes me think every girl ought to take part in a balance-based activity).

It's all about the head and neck support. Holding a baby upright on your lap while aggressively driving a car is a terrible idea. Holding them flush with your torso is better. Car seats that have three point harnesses and appropriate angles for the back and neck are better. Babies have very weak necks, and their brains can slosh around when shaken hard, because their necks aren't controlling the motion.

Some cultures practice rather aggressive rocking, where they tie the baby into the cradle and operate it like an amusement park ride. They might notice if those who did that more had more brain damaged children.

makes me think every girl ought to take part in a balance-based activity

There's a reason almost nobody goes hiking with a front pack. I have gone hiking in the ice and snow with a baby in a front pack, and it is very, very slow going. Balancing normally doesn't help all that much, since it's specifically the front weight creating the imbalance, and the main thing to do is things like not walking down steep hills, not walking on slick surfaces, holding a hand for stability, putting one's feet sideways so you can see them, etc. This isn't really helped by, for instance, learning to use a balance beam in conditions where you can see your feet. Not being able to see one's feet is destabilizing.

They might notice if those who did that more had more brain damaged children

Humans are terrible at noticing longterm things, eg that tobacco and alcohol are bad for infant health or that the families which cooked in lead wound up with dumber children; but I wonder I’ll look to see if any scientists have studied this.

balance

I think it is inexpensively trainable by requiring girls to wear front packs before an obstacle course as some school activity, and then advising the practice of this again before pregnancy. Genuinely would be better than half of what is taught in gym classes. I mean, 25% experiencing a fall and “20% sought medical care” are insane stats. Early life training + practice before pregnancy could probably bring that number considerably; I genuinely don’t remember the last time I fell while walking and I’m usually oblivious to my path.

Whiplash involves hyperextension and then hyperflexion of the neck. Babies are strapped into a car seat in a recumbent position. Hyperextension is simply impossible, and I can't imagine what kind of impact would cause a baby's neck to enter hyperflexion in a car seat unless the whole car rolls over.

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A quick cross-cultural comparison: Wife-beating is common in Eastern-European cultures (say, 1-in-10 couples). A stereotypical Russian phrase, uttered by a Russian wife about to get beaten, is "Just don't punch the stomach!". It's reasonable to suppose that, in the past, the rate at which pregnant women got beaten was higher than now.

I recon that the force experienced from a car deceleration is smaller than an occasional drunken punch on the womb.

With this evidence, we could also say that Russia’s relatively lower IQ and relatively higher behavioral problem scores are related to how often the women are beaten… though I would guess that most wife-beaters target the face and not the womb, but I don’t know.

Russia doesn’t have lower IQ scores, though?

(taps calculator) Ah, so it's the prenatal beatings keeping them smart!

(this is intended as a joke)

The other way around. If it weren’t for the beatings, the average Russian would reach his natural IQ of 130.

If you think about it, many Russians are East Asians. Technically. Geography at least.

The mind reels (again).

I thought it was lower but just checked you’re right

Wombs are designed to accommodate the mother walking or even running relatively late into pregnancy. Braking in a car won't exert anywhere near the same g-forces.

I'm a father. I'd characterize late pregnancy as hobble around more than running.

I can imagine a womb accommodating walking but I’m not sure about even running, let alone braking. I wonder if pregnant primates are known to run or if they tend to “take things easy”.

breaking

*braking

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