I don't want to steal your baby!

7:14 am

I don't want to steal your baby, I have never wanted to steal any one's baby. My daughter is not replaceable, she died in my arms, and all I've ever wanted is her.
Of all the many baby loss parents I have met in real life and over the web, I have never known any of them crave anything more than to hold their own baby.
In fact, for many many of us bereaved parents the thought of holding or even sometimes just seeing and hearing any other babies is terrifying.

And so, writers of a certain dreary soap opera, thank you. Thank you for perpetuating the myth of the crazed bereaved mother, for keeping baby death the taboo it already is, and for causing parents already suffering more than you clearly can understand, more heartache.

No, I don't watch your horrible programme, but I live in a world where millions do, and I have to stand in the school playground, the supermarket, at toddler groups, I listen to the radio, I watch tv, and I read parenting forums, all discussing this plot line. All drawing their own conclusions based on misinformation.

I just hope you never have to suffer the pain of burying your child.

Don't be shy, say hello!

21 comments

  1. I stopped watching it ages ago, then got sucked back in over the hols, and have stopped watching again as I was disgusted by the storyline. HUGS.

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  2. Even without Freddie, that storyline would have disgusted me, in the same way all the crap home ed type storylines do.

    I don't watch, I never have, but ugh.

    Stupid bloody people.

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  3. I don't watch that show but it's been pretty difficult to miss all the advertising about that stupid storyline. As if someone could not notice that someone had swapped their baby, just silly really.

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  4. I don't watch that show but it's been pretty difficult to miss all the advertising about that stupid storyline. As if someone could not notice that someone had swapped their baby, just silly really.

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  5. Another non watcher who is also exasperated at such a stupid storyline. They have done a lot of damage I think by portraying mothers who have lost their precious babies in this way. Agh!

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  6. I'm not much of a soap person but I know from a friend's experience that people do believe this and don't want you to even see their new born baby sometimes. Why would you want someone else's baby, it wouldn't be your baby that you nurtured and loved, sure they are cute and a hug might help the healing process but another child (even your own) will never fill a gap left by a missing child.
    I'm sorry this has made life harder for you and all the others who walk this path with you. x

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  7. I think I am at a bit of a loss...I have no idea what soap this is!

    I do feel compelled to urge each and everyone of you to contact the soap and tell them why they are so wrong! If we want to end the sterotype, the ball is our court.

    GO GET 'EM LADIES!!!

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  8. I banned it from our house on NYE knowing the storyline was coming up, then my girls put it on the next day and I ranted at the utter stupidity of the storyline. Every last little bit of it is just so wrong, and it would have had me fuming even if I hadn't known of those of you who have lost a baby :( xx

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  9. I agree with Melissa!

    I don't watch the soap, but you don't need to if you live in the real world in the UK and open a paper or the internet.

    This has to be one of the stupidest and most insensitive storylines I've ever heard and you HAVE to write to complain.

    One voice can rise up but many can succeed.
    An apology would be a start!

    So sorry this has affected you all, it's also sad that our soaps have to seek out this crass insensitiveness in order to pull the watchers in!

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  10. Ugh, I don't know which show you're referring to, but that plotline disgusts me. It's so true, none of us want to steal babies, we just want our own back. I hate when shows make bereaved parents look like their crazy people who want to kidnap or steal babies. It's definitely not the case.

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  11. Living in the US I don't know the show, but the idea that this could ever be a storyline angers me to no end.

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  12. What a stupid and insensitive storyline! As if you wouldn't notice if someone had swapped your baby, I would have noticed even at an hour old. Hugs to you Jeannette hopefully people will move on from talking about the storyline soon xxx

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  13. I don't watch it either but am fully aware of the story line and think it is disgusting. The idiot writers and idiot actors and the monumentous heartache they are causing....gah!

    Hugs as always...x

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  14. Although we have a TV it isn't used much so am really saddened by the writers for perpetuating such rubbish and causing further heartache to those already suffering greatly.

    If you can find manage it Jeanette tell them how it really is.

    With love and a hug
    San xx

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  15. I couldn't agree more. I don't watch the show either but I hate what they are doing. They had a chance to do a story about something that happens to a lot of women in a caring and sensitive way and they blew it.

    As a woman who has lost a child at 36 weeks, I am absolutely offended that we are being portrayed as crazy baby stealers.

    Oh, and I am now following your blog.

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  16. Perfectly said Jeanette.

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  17. I never watch it. Why why why would anyone want to watch a program where nothing good ever happens? It's beyond me. You should .. if you can manage it.. write to them.
    Many hugs.
    La
    xx

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  18. I heard about this and am horrified. They got it so, so wrong. Idiots.
    Ugh, just ugh.
    xo

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  19. Oh, so awful. UGH.

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  20. http://tv.uk.msn.com/news/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=155771200
    Giving you the first paragraph so you can choose to click or not -

    EastEnder 'to leave over baby plot'

    Samantha Womack is set to leave EastEnders

    EastEnders actress Samantha Womack, whose character has been involved in the soap's controversial baby swap plot, is to leave the show, the BBC has said.

    It's the 2nd most complained about storyline in the history of the soap. I've still not seen it.

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  21. I don't watch the soap but I couldn't believe that the writers would come up with such a disgusting storyline.

    How could the writers have not thought that this ridiculous storyline would upset many parents.

    Although I have not suffered the loss of a child, I can still see how insensitive and offensive this baby swap story line is.

    My heart goes out to all the parents who's grief has been stamped on by this story line.

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