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[Misterstone]

Not entirely sure if this is a bug or feature, but I'm leaning towards "bug" myself:

The basic problem has already been outlined in this post by Walker, though in that case, the mother was not a soldier but a miner:  http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=000441

In short:  female soldiers with babies carry their children into battle with them.  The baby (which co-occupies the tile with its mother) is often wounded in battle before the mother, but the mother does not seem to note that the baby has been wounded (ie. no unhappy thoughts about baby being mauled, etc.).

I guess something here needs to be fixed?

[Toady One]

It's neither a bug nor a feature, as I use the words, anyway.  A bug to me is something that doesn't work how I intended it, despite my efforts to the contrary.  A feature is something I intended and consider a positive part of the game.  Mothers carrying babies into battle is something I intended, in the sense that they carry babies, and they go into battles, and I knew this would happen, and didn't care so much when confronted with other issues to work on.  As for future goals, they should care if their babies get wounded, and they should probably leave them with somebody else if they are on duty.  If a mother is attacked while carrying her baby, she should probably run away, if possible.  If cornered, I'm not clear.  She might place it on the ground so as to make a more active defense.

[Solara]

So this is intended behavior? Whoa. I always knew dwarves were tough, but that's hardcore.

I think they should use them as shields.  

[liveoctopus]

Seems like some kind of dwarven daycare building might be a worthy addition, along with "nanny" jobs which compel dwarves to keep the children fed and watered. Then all the infants can hang out in one place instead of being constantly carried by their moms, and mangled babies would just be a consequence of not bothering with this. Plus, in my entirely uninformed opinion, it seems like this could be an easier solution codewise than adding some behavior where soldier dwarves try to find an impromptu babysitter right before heading into battle.

[Yag Alone]

Makes me remember a story about gallic wars...

Gallic women warriors used to tie their babies on their back to force themselves to always face the ennemy. Seems like our dwarves kept this tradition  

[Telok]

quote: Gallic women warriors used to tie their babies on their back to force themselves to always face the ennemy. Seems like our dwarves kept this tradition

Turns out it's less that than this.

@: "Look at my cute kid!"
T: "Huh? Oh, yummies!"

<dwarf_name>
@: "Bummer. But I killed a troll, yay! I need a drink."

[Misterstone]

I think the real problem is that the mothers seem to carry the babies in one of their arms.  If they could put them in a back-carrier sort of thing, I could see that actually working for a soldier.  But the idea of a mother carrying the baby in one arm wouldn't work very well... regardless of whether the mother cares about keeping the baby safe or not.  It would interfere with all the smiting that needs to be done!