UK mum separated by force from newborn in Spain. AIBU to be shocked this is taking so long to resolve?

[wigglylines]

Poor woman, poor baby too. I can't imagine what she's going through.

Why would they drag it out so long? How long does it take to get a DNA test FFS?

Story here www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/03/british-woman-says-she-was-separated-from-newborn-daughter-in-spain

[Petition link removed by MNHQ as we don't allow them in AIBU or anywhere other than our Petitions topic]

That's what Miss Cottle has told the Daily Mail.

She does seem to have been remarkably cavalier about the birth. How safe was her planned 1,300 mile drive back to London (even with her brother driving) at 38 + weeks pregnant?

(I don't doubt that she's the mother, btw)

It's nice you have such faith in the system.

Did you read what mimishimmi wrote above about hundreds of thousands of babies being stolen in Spanish hospitals, and this was still going on in the 80s?

Not saying the two are related, but just because you have had a wonderful and professional service doesn't mean everyone has.

Especially not perhaps a single black mother presenting with a baby born out of hospital.

Are you saying racism doesn't exist in Spain?

I would think that there must be more to this story.

I'm not sure how long DNA testing takes to complete, but it will be interesting to see how this develops. I do hope it is a mistake and a bit of over-zealousness by the hospital because the alternatives are too horrendous to contemplate.

She would not have to be a trafficker.

Another plausible scenario is that she gave birth to a stillborn baby and took or perhaps bought someone else's baby. That really has been known to happen and the mother might be quite convinced in that scenario that the baby is hers.

The petition is asking the hospital to do the following

• Offer Stacey and her family an interpreter to enable communication with professionals at all times.

• Return the baby to Stacey until she is "found guilty" in order to respect the biological and emotional needs of mother and baby.

• Never administer the baby formula milk unless with maternal consent.

• Hospital professionals must adhere to the established guidelines of support and respect of breastfeeding on demand.

• Fastrack DNA test and provide Stacey with a date for its result.

• Offer Stacey local legal contacts and / or other support groups in order that she is better able to deal with this situation.

As far as I can see, this woman was not taking any care whatsoever of her unborn baby or herself.

Historical horror stories are historical, like in countries anywhere. I am well aware of them.

AIBU to travel at 38 weeks to Spain?
Yes YABU and irresponsible, and behaving very oddly.
AIBU to give birth somewhere in Spain and not in an hospital? Yes, YABU and behaving oddly.

Demand a translator?

Why?

She was 38 weeks and due to give birth, why should she demand a translator? Why was she is Spain FFS?

Or maybe the newspaper isn't completely correct?
I think there is a lot more to this story.
Possibility this womens real baby died and this baby isn't hers?
If they don't think the baby is hers then why would they give the baby back until the test results have come back, or follow her wishes on bf?
If her baby was born early why would she wait to go to the hospital?

She says the baby came so quickly there was no time for an ambulance. Why is that so odd?

The translator is for her now while she tries to deal with the medical professionals who have taken the baby off her.

Of course.

Marmadoc- you beat me too it!!

Plus i thought there were a lot of doctors and nurses that could speak english in the touristy spots? Iv been to a couple of spots in spain and everyone i spoke to had a very good grasp of english!
( thankfully in the pharmacy when i was suddenly ill!)

wiggly, come on. Would you really be in a foreign country at 38 weeks pregnant and not bother your arse to get to a hospital? Demand special treatment?

It is crazy and odd. Yes, odd.

A responsible parent simply would not be in this position, wherever they are from.

It is definitely a SS issue here. (From my modest knowledge of being a foreigner in Spain for the last 10 years)

Yes no time to call for the ambulance as the baby was coming is believable, but once the baby was born?
Premature and in a foreign country yet she waits till the next day to go the hospital?

Yes, all doctors or someone with them, speak English in Malaga.

So all of you think the mum's behaviour is odd but you're not questioning the hospital's behaviour?

Why on earth not?!

Plus she happened to be leaving on that exact day that the baby came? Ok conincidence maybe.
But leaving it till you're that far pregnant when your at risk to give birth i think is odd too.

Exactly Kali

No, wiggly I am not questioning the hospitals behaviour and I really am not sure why you are.

The healthcare system here is amazing and this situation is very strange. The hospital have a duty of care to the baby and I think rightly so, considering how the baby has been brought into this world. It is not normal and if you think it is, then fine. I do not.

jaimaisdeux you have no idea what is going on in her life or why she might have taken the risk of travelling late.

I totally get the baby at home thing. It's being described as if she avoided hospital completely, but she had an unexpected and very quick home birth, AT HER MUM's HOUSE. Not "in a foreign country" as in somewhere she knows no one.

All was ok and she decided - for whatever reason - to go to hospital in the morning. Perhaps that was the first time she could reasonably make it. Perhaps she made a judgement call that - for whatever reason - travelling in the morning was the best option.
Not so odd IMO.

But the idea that she gave birth then somehow acquired another baby and turned up at the hospital, is the story which makes no sense.

I think it is not normal to separate a mother from her newborn and take more than 2 weeks to do a simple DNA test.

They won't tell her when the results if the DNA test will be ready.

They only let her see the baby every 3 hours to feed, and she's scared to leave the hospital in case they don't let her back in.

My heart goes out to her.

The hospital should get on with doing the DNA test.

To leave her and the baby in limbo like this is inhumane.

Well it obv makes sense to some of us as we thought it straight away
Clearly something isn't adding up or the hospital wouldn't have taken the baby away stating the birth dates don't match.
If the hospital don't believe the baby is hers then no i don't question their behaviour.

So she was not in a foreign country, but at her mum's house, (mum doesn't speak Spanish, neither does she, nobody is registered with midwife etc or knows how to call an ambulance?) yet she needs a translator, didn't go to hospital, didn't check in to the local clinic to say she was at full term and likely to give birth. Was planning to drive back at full term to the UK.

Quite right I have no idea why anyone would travel so late, but I know I would not, for any reason. I would not.

You think this is not odd and not irresponsible, you think the Spanish health system is irresponsible. Just so we are clear.

Madness gone mad.

Plus they told her they were going to call the police.
Rather than stay and try to sort things out she left, because that Won't make her look guilty.

My heart does not go out to her, it goes out to her baby, she has been an absolute irresponsible idiot who wants to blame everyone but herself for her actions.

How does anybody know she knows spain? It says the mom needed a long term rental home so the mom may not have even been in spain long!
The daughter may never have even been out.
If they know spain so much why do they need a translator?
Why no solictors?