The DNA test that showed two women had been swapped at birth

[SerendipityJane]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3njqd9nl9o

I had my children in the 1990’s and they only had the written wristband, I assumed the tracking devices had not been fully rolled out by then.

To the poster surprised that the mother didn’t recognise her baby, at the time this swap occurred babies were taken from their mothers to sleep in the nursery to let the mother rest.

Do you mean Jessica?

My eldest is 7 and middle 4, they were born in theatre and delivery suite (in midlands) and both had tracking tags on ankles when transferred to the post natal ward.

Youngest was born in midwife led birthing suite but same trust and didn’t go to the post natal ward, he just had the little plastic band on. I think maybe depends on the trust and whether you’re staying in hospital overnight or allowed to leave after a few hours.

To prove to yourself that you're the best mother ever?

Poor Jessica. It has been a shock for all involved but from the reporting it reads as if there is a lack of sensitivity towards Jessica's situation and feelings. She has lost her whole identity and sense of who she believed she was. While her mother and brother are wholly embracing Claire, Jessica is the one left with questions many of which she may never get answers to.

I could absolutely have been handed a different baby! Especially at the time we’re talking about these babies being born, presumably they were swaddled and had hats on, so you’re looking at a tiny part of a face.

I imagine there are plenty more of these cases that are just unknown. How would most people find out? It’s only DNA ancestry becoming popular that is exposing these stories, and it’s still a limited number of people who have done them.

So Claire gets welcomed into a brand new shiny family calling this new woman mum, and Jessica is pushed out and her biological mother is dead so no opportunity to explore that side of her family. I don't think I could cope with that level of betrayal from people I knew as family all my life.

Me too. My consultant told me you're basically giving away your DNA and not to tick the consent box for my DNA told retained because even though they trust the screening company, you never know who the company could be sold to.

I feel so sorry for Jessica, what an awful mix of feelings she must have. But also for Claire to have experienced such an awful childhood when that wasn't her destiny. How do you even begin to quantify adequate compensation for all involved?! Something like this can't be righted with money.

My DD is 2.5 and had several QR code bracelets placed on her when she was born. She was so tiny they kept falling off, but the hospital were very hot in making sure they were put back on. I did say to DH that if there was ever a time when the baby and I had to be separated, he was to go with them without argument or second thought!

Honestly I think these DNA kits do more harm than good.

Absolutely no good came from blowing up a family and destroying a woman’s life.

The mother had raised Jessica she was her daughter, this whole embracing of her newly found daughter just smacks of fakery to me, glad that the daughter she’d found wasn’t the daughter she brought up, and Jessica was replaced.

They sound like an awful family. The only one I feel sorry for in all this is Jessica who was clearly never wanted or she wouldn’t have been so replaceable.

My youngest was 2006 and certainly no tracker. But he was never allowed to leave my side, we had to wheel our babies with us everywhere, couldn't even have a pee in peace.

Cos babies look weird for the first couple of months?

It takes a few months for them to start looking like family members e.g. aunts, uncles, grandparents.

One of mine in 2008 had a band with a radio tag - I know this because I triggered the security doors to shut. I worked in the hospital and my plan had been to go and feed in a slightly quieter dayroom I knew of on my own ward (and show my gorgeous newborn off a bit to a few colleagues). I went through a shortcut known to most staff - set off all the alarms and and got chased by a lovely but embarrased midwife. But that unit had had a previous attempted abduction and they were very sharp with security there

I wonder too about children born from donor insemination.

Before this was made more open, many were not told, and the donor was chosen to fit in with the husband's looks, ie dark or light haired etc. Their parents may no longer be alive to ask.

So if there is a shock DNA result in the family they may never know the reason.

I felt really sad for her too. Its like she's been pushed aside, there's a new daughter and a new sister who just fits with the family and Jessica can't even meet her biological mother now she's gone. Its a very sad thing thats happened to them all, but it felt like she was the only one that really lost from finding this out. The others all lost of course in different ways, both from what happened and from finding out what happened. But the other family members sound positive about thr finding out at least, Jessica doesn't. If I read that article and I was her Id feel really hurt by it.

I was curious about the supposed use of radio tracking devices in the UK, its just plastic wrist bands here. My youngest looked very different to his siblings at birth, blonde hair and blue eyes, not brown hair and brown eyes. Took me a moment to work out why he looked kind of weird to me. None of our kids ever left our sight though so no worries there and although I'm brown haired now mine was blonde at birth too. Things like this make me glad babbies room in with mum now, unless they're sick and need PICU, can't end up with the wrong baby if they never leave your sight.

Yes.

Once the Court case is done get all concerned to agree to contact a journalist and ask for all names to be changed.

Their are massive repercussions for generations.

When my brother was born in the 70s he was immediately taken to NICU as not breathing. Mum had a rough time and didn't see him for 24 hours. She could have been brought any baby and not known if it was definitely hers, sadly.
I really feel for the Jessica in this article. She must feel like her whole world has been torn apart. The joyous 'reunion' of birth family that the others have experienced must leave her feeling like a cuckoo in the nest.

I've never see a tracking tag on a baby. My DS was born less than 10 years ago and only had a plastic wrist band with 'Baby C152' written on it.

It is her mum.. of course she's been welcomed into the family? What exactly has claire done wrong here?
The family should have involved Jessica from the start perhaps instead of all discussing it amongst themselves and even meeting claire before letting her know.
But end of the day of course the bio mum and child would want to be in each other's lives now. That's not a 'betrayal'
It's the NHS who let everyone down here

Both of mine looked just like my husband had as baby.

The article seems to suggest though that Joan was given a baby with different coloured hair the next day!

I can't imagine what Jessica must be going through.

Maybe it's not a well written article but they seem to be oblivious to her!

I can't imagine being presented with a 55yr old woman & immediately thinking "yay! new daughter!" tbh.

I was allowed to pee in peace in 2018 but one of us had to be with DD at all times. That's one reason why they want partners to stay as you had to get your own meals, etc.

She just had a plastic wrist band.

I am surprised this is the only example in the UK.
I feel for Jessica but by the sounds of it she had the better upbringing of the two, sad that she cant embrace her new sister and try and make the best of such a sad situation.

My child had ankle tag 8 years ago but it kept coming off. They aren't fool proof.

I have read that baby separation from mum (surrogacy or adoption) has impacts on the baby as they lose all the familiar sounds and smells they had a pre-existing bond with. So that could have had an impact here as well.

Growing up and looking very different from your family, maybe different abilities (everyone else is really sporty/ clever/musical and your not) must be really hard and then to find out something as catastrophic as this! It is totally unimaginable how everyone must be feeling.

(I have a teaching colleague who thinks babies are blank slates and personality etc… is 100% nurture when I think nature plays a big part)

I am surprised this is the only example in the UK.

Only proven case.

Apparently.

sad that she cant embrace her new sister

Well that's just it isn't it?

They're not related at all.

That's because you haven't actually been thru this.
Anyone who has been adopted or had issues similar to this could tell you how important it feels. Biological connection is extremely important.
Obviously who raised you is also important. But don't negate the biological side if you haven't been thru this.
When my mum met her bio mum for the first time they had the exact same rug in their living rooms!
I can see my features in my bio nans face. I have the same type of body as my bio cousin, the same taste in music. I didn't grow up with these people but when I met them I felt instant connection.
It's traumatic and sad and surreal.
It just souldnt be done to people.
Now days Obviously the advice to anyone who adopts or uses donors in some way, is to never lie to the child and to keep communication open with bio family if at all possible. Because we know how traumatic it is to children not to do that.