Page 3 | If you were faced with this question, what would you do?

IAmADescendantOfSweepTheSqueakyLegend · 2025-01-26T19:02:16+00:00

If you were faced with the choice between saving your partner or a stranger's baby, what would you do?

Chuchoter · 26/01/2025 21:27

My husband.

Cosycover · 26/01/2025 21:26

I could never not save an innocent little baby.

AshCrapp · 26/01/2025 21:26

blueshoes · 26/01/2025 21:18

The harder choice is between your partner or your baby. I think almost all women will save their baby, but some men may actually save their partner.

I'd hope this choice isn't hard for most people. Baby all the way.

One thing that's interesting for me is the difference that being born makes. Before giving birth, I was very afraid of dying in childbirth (I don't know why, some biological thing kicking in telling me this was likely??). I was relieved to learn that you don't actually get a choice in "who to save" in an emergency, the midwives save the mother. I was relieved to learn this because I 100% wanted to live, even if it meant losing the baby if something went wrong. But the second my baby was handed to me, I would happily have given up my life for theirs. What explains that? It's not even just instinct, because even many years removed from the situation, there seems to me to be a crucial difference. I'd still instantly sacrifice myself for a baby I was holding, but not a baby I was carrying in my womb.

BlueSilverCats · 26/01/2025 21:24

Partner(for DD's sake). Then I'd do something clumsy or stupid and end up dying myself.

blueshoes · 26/01/2025 21:18

The harder choice is between your partner or your baby. I think almost all women will save their baby, but some men may actually save their partner.

orangewasp · 26/01/2025 21:15

I'd probably dither and they'd both end up dying.

FootstepAway · 26/01/2025 21:12

AshCrapp · 26/01/2025 20:21

It depends on the situation entirely. If we're talking about turning ventilators off, I'd save my partner. If we're talking about saving one from a burning building, the baby. If we're talking by aiding financially at a distance, obviously my partner. We all choose our partners every day, by not donating all our money to saving babies in foreign countries from dehydration and starvation.

I agree. We all make choices that aren't "prioritising all babies in the world". We could donate for vaccines, water, aid, midwives etc. (That's normal, not saying it's wrong, although collectively we could make a big difference! )

But in a face-to-face situation we might feel differently.

Finedandydodah · 26/01/2025 21:09

Wow I'm surprised at the responses.

I would absolutely save the baby.

Then again I am divorced 😂

Maverickess · 26/01/2025 21:08

Itiswhysofew · 26/01/2025 19:12

What if they were side by side needing to be saved?😯 OMG, how could you not save a baby? What a question🫣

Get the partner to hold the baby or lay the baby on them and save both?
I'm single so it'd be the baby anyway 🤣

DancingHippos · 26/01/2025 21:08

YABU for asking such a question. What is going on in your head?

FootstepAway · 26/01/2025 21:06

Plot twist - it's 1889 and the baby is Hitler...

Scentsitive · 26/01/2025 21:06

I would pick my partner, of course.

junerella · 26/01/2025 21:04

I would save the baby. I love my husband but I watched my own baby dying and I (and he) would never wish that on another family.

batshitaboutcatshit · 26/01/2025 20:59

Has anyone read The Chain by Adrian McKinty? It's a different scenario but similar vibes.

malmi · 26/01/2025 20:39

It's different if the partner and baby are right there in front of you so you can look them in the eyes so to speak. More likely to save the baby. If you're just told about the random baby then more likely to save partner.

Another way to think of it, is that there are babies out there that we could be saving by devoting time and money to eradicating global poverty. We mostly don't dedicate our lives to that.

MissFancyDay · 26/01/2025 20:28

My husband...but if we were old, the baby.

DarkHollowTree · 26/01/2025 20:21

Just asked my OH and he said me 😳 have never been so outraged and flattered at the same time. What an unsettling thought

MrsSkylerWhite · 26/01/2025 20:21

Wow. I’d say my husband but if he was to be made aware of that, I’m not sure he could live with it.

I think I might offer myself instead? Not sure.

AshCrapp · 26/01/2025 20:21

It depends on the situation entirely. If we're talking about turning ventilators off, I'd save my partner. If we're talking about saving one from a burning building, the baby. If we're talking by aiding financially at a distance, obviously my partner. We all choose our partners every day, by not donating all our money to saving babies in foreign countries from dehydration and starvation.

Thewalrusandthecarpenter · 26/01/2025 20:21

I don't have a partner - so you said to a PP to substitute best friend. She has a child who would be motherless and I've known her 44 years so I'd save her.

Original poster

IAmADescendantOfSweepTheSqueakyLegend · 26/01/2025 20:21

Goody2ShoesAndTheFilthyBeast · 26/01/2025 20:18

My husband and a stranger's baby are next to each other, both about to die. For the purposes of this hypothetical, my husband is unable to save himself and will die if I choose the stranger's baby?

I'd choose my husband.

I realise that you're supposed to say you'd save the unknown baby and watch your partner die because a baby is supposed to be more important than your partner but I'd just be lying in order to look like a nice person about a complete hypothetical on an anonymous forum and what's the point of that?

I wouldn't save a stranger's baby over my husband, either. You have one husband - plenty of stranger's babies. Sorry. Good luck to you x

OP posts:

MrsPeterHarris · 26/01/2025 20:19

PullTheBricksDown · 26/01/2025 19:07

Partner. If it was my baby or my partner, I'd save my baby. But not someone else's over my partner.

This!

Goody2ShoesAndTheFilthyBeast · 26/01/2025 20:18

My husband and a stranger's baby are next to each other, both about to die. For the purposes of this hypothetical, my husband is unable to save himself and will die if I choose the stranger's baby?

I'd choose my husband.

I realise that you're supposed to say you'd save the unknown baby and watch your partner die because a baby is supposed to be more important than your partner but I'd just be lying in order to look like a nice person about a complete hypothetical on an anonymous forum and what's the point of that?

ChadVader · 26/01/2025 20:16

CoffeeCakeAndALattePlease · 26/01/2025 20:13

I think that I would want to save my husband, but in the moment with no time to think I reckon my instinct would be to save a baby.

Me too. I love DH, he's fab, but I think my natural split second instinct would be to protect a baby.

Original poster

IAmADescendantOfSweepTheSqueakyLegend · 26/01/2025 20:15

Mrsdyna · 26/01/2025 20:13

I know, I think I would top myself either way.

Thanks for the horrible thought OP! 😂

Show quote history

I'm sorry. I thought it would be an interesting question.

OP posts: