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Eastenders Baby Death Storyline

1392 replies

deemented · 28/12/2010 18:30

Once again, no one can live happily ever after Sad

Ronnie's baby James, dies and she puts his body in Kat and Alfies son's crib, and steals their baby boy, Tommy.

Why oh why oh why do scriptwriters insist on portraying bereaved parents - mothers especially - as mad and deranged??? Maybe it's because they can't begin to imagine how awful the death of a child is, but really, whilst we are mad with grief, it is our own child that we want back, not someone else's stolen child. When are scriptwriters ever going to understand that?

Still, it'll be a riveting watch, no doubt.

OP posts:
TigerseyeMum · 07/01/2011 13:43

Mouseface yes, absolutely, and by all means I would welcome them if they can have the courtesy to see what has actualy ben written not what they think has been written.

confuddledDOTcom · 07/01/2011 14:02

Yes, quite. It reminds me of the Dr Peppa incident where people pick up bits of headlines and think they know what's been said on here and come to complain about the headline not what we've really said.

eado · 07/01/2011 14:15

Having read many of the comments posted on here with interest, and agree with many of them - anybody can take the option (as have I) to not fully watch any of these episodes.

This decision was made purely as our daughter was a victim of cot death, a harrowing and life-changing experience and I agree the storyline of stealing another child immediately you have found the child is ridiculous. Having been involved, for many years, with other parents have heard many different reactions to the discovery of your baby.
The one common denominator, however, is that, without exception, everybody thinks the paramedics/health professionals are somehow able to "bring your baby back". Of course we know this is not possible for most, BUT, in most mothers would cling to this - as did I.

My reaction (other than the kidnap) was actually more akin to Ronnies - denial and didn't want to communicate with anybody, for which I was regularly accused of "not being normal". I've never been "normal" since .....

FooffyShmoofer · 07/01/2011 14:19

Jacobs dad sounds a real treat. Lucky old Jacob.

confuddledDOTcom · 07/01/2011 14:31

eado, that's another of my pet peeves! CPR always works... Let's get something straight, CPR gives you time to get to hospital so a doctor can save you.

There are two exceptions, you've just seen a person stop breathing (you have a small chance to bring them around) or they drowned (once the water is out they're likely to resuscitate easily).

MsKLo · 07/01/2011 14:36

confuddled

I am really sorry for your loss and I totally agree with what you had to say to that ignorant troll

x

eado · 07/01/2011 14:50

confuddleddotcom - every case is individual, CPR was NOT going to work on my baby, she had died quite some time before I discovered her.

However, my point was that nobody knows how they are going to react in that situation, most Mothers think about cot death. Indeed so did I, however, you cant have a "plan" as to how you will react. Believe me, I've worked with parents in the same position and most (as Ronnie portrayed) revert to being in a "child like" state.
I would suspect being in a detached situation, CPR would be a consideration, not when its your child, words cannot describe the feeling.

confuddledDOTcom · 07/01/2011 15:06

I meant in general, I've been a first aider most of my life and and there are a few things that get me in TV shows around first (and even secondary - ie ambulances) aid and this is one of them.

Often with SIDS it's the case that you don't discover it soon enough but when things happen even when you're trained it goes out the window. I can remember times my dad taking over something and saying "You're supposed to be a first aider!" but when it's your children you forget that and that's just with the hurting themselves.

When mine died she was just too young. Saving her would have prolonged a horrible death, she died in my arms with her daddy and nanny by her side. I can't imagine wanting anything else if something happened to me.

confuddledDOTcom · 07/01/2011 15:09

Thanks MsKLo. I don't swear Blushbut I couldn't find a polite word that fitted in that situation!

eado · 07/01/2011 15:17

confuddled - apologies, I obv missed the point!

Yes, indeed, I wasn't even capable of making a phone call to the emergency services - I had to ask my neighbour to do it!
Never a day goes by when I dont think of my beautiful baby - its completely irrelevant to me whether EE (or any other programme) use it as a storyline - and it was 30 years ago .............

Newgolddream · 07/01/2011 15:23

confuddledDOTcom - and all the others who have spoke about their own personal experiences here, my heart goes out to you all. I cant imagine what its like - no-one can unless they have went through something similar.

As a Psychiatric Nurse I have worked with bereaved parents and have went through therapy with them.

Some day the pain will be less thats all I can say, although the memories will never fade.

MsKLo · 07/01/2011 15:24

I am in awe of all of the brave ladies on here and...

Words seem so inadequate, I am just in awe of you all, you are all so brave and again, thank you for sharing your stories, I just wish I could say something better to you all than sorry for your loss

x

travellingwilbury · 07/01/2011 16:01

confuddled ooops sorry Blush

Ohforfoxsake · 07/01/2011 16:14

I am so pleased the BBC are cutting the storyline short. They've made a massive mistake with this storyline.

confuddledDOTcom · 07/01/2011 16:29

We're happy (I think I can speak for everyone saying that) for them to run a SIDS storyline, it's really not a problem, it's the whole swapping story we object to.

Thank you Newgolddream. It's something that has got easier for me, finding a reason for it and being able to have other children because of it (as I said she was healthy, I wasn't) has helped. Considering your profession, how do you feel about the realism in this story?

CazandBelle · 07/01/2011 16:36

I know I'm a bit behind but,

Jacobsdad I think that is one of the vilest posts I've seen on MN. How dare you belittle and be so blase about our losses.

I'm actually really furious with that post and have reported it. If you ever have to suffer the loss of your child (and I really hope you don't have too...)I hope you remember then how dismissive you were and remember that 'people die, life's a bitch'.

You are disgusting.

Mouseface · 07/01/2011 16:49

I agree, the SIDS storyline alone would have been an excellent opportunity for EE to educate, inform and show that at times, they can write some fantastic stories and build characters into people that we, the viewer, can empathise with.

As I have said before, this is all about ratings and publicity, which the BBC/EE have now got, for all of the wrong reasons.

Dee1980 · 07/01/2011 16:58

I am a mother of a 5 year old boy and fortunately have never had the tradegy of my baby dying. Also ask anyone who knows me how much of an Eastenders fan i am and they will tell you that i love my soaps especially eastenders and i buy the soap magazines every week without fail and am always the first to know about what storylines are coming up but when i saw months ago the storyline to do with Kat and Ronnie i immediately said Eastenders are going to far.

I've read some other forum's comments and some people are saying that it's a soap and it's not real etc and obviosuly everyone who is watching knows it's not real but cot death is a real issue for many families and i dont think that anyone is saying that they should not have tackled this sensitive issue but going that extra mile with swapping the babies is taking things to another level.

I have cried every episode since NYE watching as a mother's heart breaks that she has lost her baby and it breaks my heart to watch it. Im just glad that the Eastenders bosses have decided to cut the storyline short after all the complaints but still think it is to long to carry it on and should be cut much sooner.

TheManWhoSoldtheWorld · 07/01/2011 17:05

It really is tiring and depressing seeing what the average person thinks of a DC dying.

I feel so washed out and I know that if people knew that DD was disabled and not a SIDS death it would be worse.

Good on you all for continuing to battle against people's ignorance.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 07/01/2011 17:10

Bryan Kirkwood opens his mouth at last and the more nonsense comes out.

TheManWhoSoldtheWorld · 07/01/2011 17:14

Smug dick.

I would say that the traffic to the FSID's site has increased purely from people looking to see did they support this storyline. (as I did)

GwendolineMaryLacey · 07/01/2011 17:19

You said it better than I did :o

Mouseface · 07/01/2011 17:21

Why wait until 'spring'?

Why not stop this now and get the truth out there?

Surely, that would be more credible than letting this run for months?

'We owe it to our loyal viewers to play the story out'?

Or whatever he said.

Pathetic.

blondepinhead · 07/01/2011 17:22

Who are these people who have been through these experiences and are responding positively to the story? Is he making them up?

Mouseface · 07/01/2011 17:22

I like you TheMan Grin

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