Eastenders Baby Death Storyline

[deemented]

Once again, no one can live happily ever after

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.

I hope they get a lot of complaints over their sensationalising of a cot death story, and over their attempt to keep claiming they had FSID's approval. They kept trying to hide behind that, until FSID obviously felt they had to clarify the limits of their involvement.

It was very wrong of the BBC to insinuate that they had FSID's approval for the babyswapping storyline, and they should apologise publicly to FSID.

I could not care less that it adds to the bad events experienced by Ronnie's character though. I'm sure its highly unlikely a character would experience so many bad life events in such a short timeframe but really, thats a non-issue compared to what EE did with this.

Part of me is glad it was so shit actually. has stopped me really concentrating on how awful cot death must be.
I know that sounds awful, but that's how I'm feeling about it.

FWIW, I suffered an infection in my uterus and bladder after ds2 was born.
I started bleeding lots and was in unbelieveable pain.
I went back to the labour ward, they put me in a room and left me there for 11 hours, poppinjg in every now and then to take temp and blood pressure.
I was not admitted, but when I said that I needed to be at home withmy new baby and could they just run some tests or whatever and let me get home, they said they were busy and would get to me when they could.
I asked if I could have someone bring my baby to me and they said no. Something about bringing germs into ward

I dont usually post on these threads but - if it had just been the death of Ronnie's baby that would be one thing and I could agree that it would be raising awareness for cotdeaths but the fact they've put it hand in hand with her stealing Kats baby is not raising awareness. I think its sick that they're passing this off as entertainment which is basically what I feel they're trying to do. Sorry, I dont feel this is coming over very well iyswim.

Kat did say the hospital said she needed to have her baby with her and alfie was going to return for him but didn't? I guess she can't be breastfeeding? Both babies seemed to go a long time without a feed?

Also when I had a detached placenta after an unprepared homebirth the midwife made sure ds2 was brought into hospital with me.

1ggle, yes Kat did tell Alfie that they said she needed Tommy with her.

For me, the whole baby-swapping, although massively upsetting and not necessary, I do feel it is fitting to Ronnie's character and the fact that she was telling her baby "mummy will get help, everything will be fine" and "daddy will be home soon, and everything will be alright"
part of me, can see how she just wants things to be perfect and wants the chance to be a mum so may have been opvertaken by a brief moment of insanity and desperation.
i don't know.

Saffy - a very lazy script and totally unrealistic IMO, I think it was a rush job for a dramatic storyline for new years eve.

i didn't get why the baby was left behind
with her dad, seemed daft.
the why didn't Alfie get the baby
lazy lazy

Alfie rushed Kat to hospital in his car when Ambulance said it was going to be 20 mins. Apparently.

I really didn't find Samantha Janus' acting credible at all - heck, she didn't even seem to be holding the baby properly at all. Eastenders have got it very wrong this time, IMO.

Totally agree Dee, the acting was terrible. Ee really are scraping the barrel with this, I won't be watching anymore.

2Shoes - I absolutely agree. I know Kat was seriously ill but I know in those circumstances, I wouldn't have gone anywhere without my baby.

As for Ronnie, would she really have been left on her own with James?!

It's interesting. Apart from being vastly opposed to the swap, my other big concern was the fact that the story was full of holes and conveniences. I was slated on Digital Spy for being negative before it was shown, about the fact that EE will do a sterling job with the writing etc. But all I've seen are people complaining about the exact same things I did initially;

Why was Tommy not taken back into hospital with Kat? Why was Ronnie on her own with James a day after birth? How come no one took any photos (I am told Roxy took one?). Amazing that both babies were dressed the same. Why was Tommy in a room with an open window in December except to let Ronnie hear him cry over all the fireworks? Where were the hvs and mws? Who would leave a day old baby upstairs in a pub while they party downstairs? Who would sleep for an entire afternoon and assume their newborn would do the same? What happened to feeding babies?

Holes left right and centre. Quite apart from the awful sensationalism of the story, it's an insult to the viewers' intelligence to think we'd swallow all those inconsistencies.

i totally agree that the storyline is horrendous, badly acted and shows bereaved parents in a bad light.

However can I just add that when I had to go bac into hospital by ambulance when ds2 was 5 days old, we didnt take him with us, he stayed with my IL's and I didnt have him with me for 24 hours because I was too ill. So that bit is not entirely unbelievable

Years ago I used to watch EE all the time - slightly addicted

But since having my DC's I've realised how depressing and aggressive it is.

As I can't watch it with them I've realised I don't want to watch it anyway !

I think this new story-line is a disgrace.
As usual it's ridiculous too !

Trouble is I think the producers like when people complain and protest. They certainly seemed to with the Danielle storyline. To them it means people are passionate about the show and are engaging with it.

I hope they have the decency not to have the same reaction this time round, because it is a disgusting storyline (and I don't even watch it). EE should be axed. Far too depressing.

I too was really disappointed by this story line. Its just such a dreadful thing to happen to anyone, and to use it as the Christmas 'thriller' was horrible and depressing to say the least.
The character Ronnie has had such bad luck in her 'life' I am surprised she can ever raise a smile and yet they give her the miracle she has always wanted - a baby - and then snatch it away! Extra cruel.

I have decided to veto EE for a couple of weeks until it all dies down because I have enough shite in my own life without having to go through that as well, poor cow!

IMO, natch!
xx

There is no point in complaining to the BBC, OFCOM on the other hand is a different matter. They will look into multiple complaints far more seriously than the BBC would, especially now the papers have picked this up.

I have a 10 day old and had traumatic birth, only just getting my head around it and to see Kat lying there in agony covered in blood nrealy made me vomit :(
EE just shouldnt have done it IMO, its christmas ffs and things are always shite for one reason or another without the BBC upsetting quite possibly even mother/human in the UK.
Rant over. Happy New Year x

I refuse to watch EE now. I am sick of the death of a child being used as entertainment.

EE did a SIDS story many years ago but I dont remember it being used to pull in the punters at Christmas. Because this is what this is about. Getting the ratings. Child abuse, rape, murder all been done. What can we do to get the massess tuning in.

Kill a child. Then they can all sit around and have a little cry about how sad it all is and then do the washing up and forget it.

Its bollocks and I am sick of it. I am sick of it being done badly, I am sick of my friends being distressed, I am sick of bereaved parents being portrayed as fucking lunatics.

Replace our children? FUCK RIGHT OFF.

But we do you know, and we do all kinds of other things according to lazy arse scriptwriters. Kidnapp is the favourite but we also beat other people up, become hermits, throw the ashes of our dead children over people we dont like, the list ogoes on and on.

The truth is this,

YOu wouldnt know us if you saw us in the street.
We are far more likely to bite our tounges at the stupid things people say to us even when they do deserve a smack
and most importantly (please listen if you work in the media) WE DONT WANT SOMEONE ELSES CHILD. WE WANT OURS BACK. Nothing else will do.
Not even having another of our own - we dont do that to replace our dead child either, it doesnt make it all ok

I used to watch eastenders religiously but last couple of years it's dropped to just every now and then as it's so shouty and depressing. Having been pre-warned about this story line I'm now actively avoiding- I'm 26 weeks pregnant and I know this would be a very very bad idea to watch.
I think there are certain types of misery that are just too horrible to watch.

I decided I wouldn't be watching EE when I heard about the cot death storyline.

It's too much and freaks me out as my DS died of SIDS in January twelve years ago. His name was also James:( January is always a bad time for me.

I know it's just TV but the timing is awful.

orange I am so very sorry for the terrible loss of your James.

'just tv' is very different now with all the coverage and magazines. Its almost impossible to get away from it.

I think Soaps have been using the 'raising awareness' card for too long.

They dont because they do things so badly.

i am avoiding EE atm as i knew this storyline was coming up. we have just discussed at lunch how we (various mums of babies under 18 months) are all avoiding it becauses its too distressing/scary.

one of the mums present is an A&E nurse. her response to EE was 'well this month i have dealt with the SIDS deaths of a 5 month old and a 14 month old (formula fed, always are). why on earth do i want to go home and watch it on tv?'