‘I Was Switched at Birth - I Didn’t Know Until I Was 43!’ | This Morning
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- Yesterday we met the stars of ITVX drama Playing Nice which tells the story of toddlers switched at birth in a hospital mix-up. It's hard to imagine how something like that could happen in real life - but as we're about to find out - it does. Shirley Munoz Newson's life was turned upside down when, at the age of 43, she discovered the parents who raised her in Wyoming were not her parents at all. She had been switched at birth and she shares her true story.
Broadcast on 07/01/2025
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This is actually quite heartbreaking. The father that brought her up spent his marriage thinking his wife had cheated on him but never actually stressed it until he was dying. How very very sad for all involved. It’s a real shame the parents didn’t deal with that sooner. There could have been a much happier outcome. Sending love to this woman who had her world turned upside down
Stop implaying she was treated differently!!!
@@HGG381 she clearly said that she was treated differently 😊
There were no DNA tests earlier, and you can't 'prove' a negative - that is, the non birth mother did not have an affair.
How beautiful that she started to smile soon as she said Aunt Mary's name 🥰❤️ bless aunt Mary 🙏
The interview was odd, but she wrote a book and did not want to give too much of the book details.
You could feel the love she had for her Auntie.
What a sad story, especially since it was no fault of her own! Shame on all of those who treated her so badly. My heart aches for her, and those with similar stories. Thanks for sharing this story.
Poor woman, she has been through the mill. Thank God, for Auntie Mary ...
P
I am so sorry you went through this. Having two dysfunctional families is really rotten luck. I’m glad you found your aunt!
This kind of case is the exact reason my husband followed the nurses everywhere my daughter went, so she was always in our line of sight when she was born. I know this is rare, but I had known someone in childhood that this happened to. She never fully recovered from this.
My husband wouldn’t let our daughter leave the room after she was born.
My father was born in a house (in 1937). When my two children were each born, I told my wife that my job was to follow them around to make sure no switching occurs.
Just before my daughter was born in Puerto Rico, it came to light that two sets of identical twins were switched. Each family got one of each and thought they had fraternal twins. Then when the girls were about 6 or 7 an aunt saw who she thought were her nieces in a clinic with a stranger. The stranger turned out to be the other mother. It was extremely sad and traumatic for the girls and their families. So, when my baby was about to be born I told my husband to make sure they didn’t change her. Fortunately she had a large birthmark in her right arm.
When we were getting discharged from the hospital the doctor ordered a follow up test for our daughter. The nurse had already removed the ankle monitor as we were suppose to be leaving. The ordered test was supposed to be for her bilirubin. The nurse kept mentioning it was for her heart. I corrected her multiple times that she was suppose to only have her bilirubin checked. The nurse said she’ll have to take our daughter to the nursery where the doctor was to get checked out. I again mentioned it was for her bilirubin and the nurse confirmed. Over an hour later she wheels my daughter back and tells me she almost to her to the wrong mom by accident and it was that other mom’s daughter who was supposed to have her heart checked. We left immediately with our daughter but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at her to make sure she was ours after the nurse said that. Now she looks just like my husband so there’s no doubt now but man that’s not what you should have to worry about as a new mom.
@ wow! That’s scary!
What strength this woman has to overcome this, wishing her and her loved ones all the best for the future.
The family she ended up with was cold towards her but threw a party in honour of their biological daughter, her biologocial parents completely cold towards her and disappointed that the other daughter wasnt theirs. This woman deserves better :(
Honestly!
Thank God for the extended family.
I was switched at birth. My mother knew the bald baby they handed her wasn’t hers. I was born with lots of hair. My mom got us switched back and became good friends with the other mother.
when did you switch back?
Wow!
How special… can you tell us a bit more how that all happened? I’m very glad you got sorted out and that your moms became friends!
I too as a small child felt I didn’t belong, I don’t look like my family and it was very affirming when I did an ancestry test and found I was biologically related to my parents
Thankfully she found some family who embraced her. This story is so sad.
So glad she now has a normal family ❤ so happy for her ☺️🙏
Shirley, it's very brave of you to come on and share your story. I hope and pray that in writing the book
and having YOUR say, that you will continue to heal. There is a saying........ 💙 💚💙 💚
"The most beautiful stones have been tossed
by the wind and washed by the waters and polished to brilliance by life's strongest storms"
I know you will enjoy raising your children with great LOVE.
What resilience! She’s amazing.
What are the odds this lovely lady gets two of the worst mothers on earth? One is bad enough. But she got two. Thank you Aunt Mary for being a loving and supportive aunt💕
Im happy that you found a way through this experience. Thank you for sharing and writing your story. You created a loving family and have connection with your non biological brother and have so many new relationships. What a blessing b
I was also brought the wrong baby in 1993, we immediately recognised that it was the wrong baby, although is was only a innocent mistake, it should not happen.
Unbelievable that that happened to you in 1993 .in 1993 I gave birth to twins and my husband and I always joke that they weren’t ours because we both have dark hair and our babies were blonde 😮 . It’s scary that this switching babies was still happening in 1993 . I’m sorry that happened to you
Did you get the mistake sorted out immediately?
I also wonder how the other child (now woman) felt.
There'll be so many questions and I hope she gets the answers to them.
I love that she says,"With faith, anything is possible".
God bless Aunt Mary
What poor interview questions and approach! Talk about leading questions, why not ask her to tell you what happened? It’s like the presenters want to do all the talking and her answers are practically monosyllabic
I agree. I think this technique is used because they have limited time but I think it should be pre-recorded not live to give time for the person interviewed has time to get their story across 😢
It was so painful
Actually it's the interviewee who is very reserved but it could be understandable under the circumstances.
@@Myraisins1I agree. Felt like the interviewers were forced to ask more follow-up questions because she was so short in her responses. It was like pulling teeth! Smh
@@RayTay02 💯 They did a great job otherwise the interview would have lasted 2 seconds.
I can’t imagine. Any child that spends more than half a day in my house is mine in my heart. Her parents the ones who raised her are terrible.
Good to hear your attitude about children! All children who come through my life, I too see as children to be nurtured, guided, and cherished.
Yes, good point! So what if she doesn't look like you? She's your child, and you should treat her with love. It's very sad that they didn't
I would have never expected for it to turn out that either let alone both “mothers” would just be so cold.
That's what happens when women who have been faithful spend a lot of years being treated like a cheater. Having a child is emotionally draining and puts a lot of women on the brink of mental illness . Going cold sometimes is the only way to keep afloat
@@jennpul1015. That makes sense! But still, there can be love for the child who was not switching by their own means or wishes!
my mum told me a nurse brought her the wrong baby . my mum instantly recognised the mistake. The other mum was beside herself with anger at the mix up This was the 60's uk. What if......?
I saw it happen in 2008 where I worked
I was a baby swap in the 1940s. It was discovered after 10days.
One reason for the switch could’ve been what happened with me at my birth. My mother said the nurse came in & handed the lady in the next bed her baby. Then my mom asked if she could see her, just to rejoice along with this woman in having had a baby. That’s when my mom said, “ That’s My Baby”! She was so adamant that the nurse came in & upon checking the bracelet saw she had accidentally given ME to the other woman! What if my mother had never asked to see this other woman’s baby? Could’ve been an absolute but nevertheless horrific mistake.
It wasn't until the '60s or '70s in Brota8n that hospitals started putting name bands on babies' wrists as soon as they were born to avoid mix-ups.
Wow!!
Good hearthed aunties are so important ❤
How heartbreaking. Thank god for Aunt Mary
I was switched at birth at a tiny hospital. Fortunately, I was a dark haired female while he was a blonde male. The other woman nursed. Thank you Lady for the colostrum which may be the reason that I am a healthy 72 year old.
❤❤❤
My daughter was switched, it was a genuine mistake and the baby looked very like my daughter.. Before the times of baby bracelets. I said straightaway and was not believed at first!
Why don’t people realize a child can look like a great grandparent or someone else? In this case though, It’s sad the dad questioned if she was his all his life. And she wasn’t loved just for being different. Glad she has a happy life now!
Its funny because I always wished I was adopted and had another family out there somewhere. Im not of course so i just deal with it 😂
SHAME on her bio mom for not welcoming her!! what the #### is the matter with her!!!
What a lovely lady 😍 should be made into a real life adrama..
They should have asked her to tell her story.
Yes she doesn’t say much.
It was like dragging wild horses to get answers out of her
Not sure if it was the interviewers or interviewees fault but this was a really bad interview. Awkward questioning and answers like drawing blood from a stone. Bizarre
There was a bit of delay, which wasn't helped that the interviewers were asking yes or no questions. It picked up in places where they asked more open-ended questions.
Not their fault. The interviewee is not very talkative. Why grant interview then?
There is absolutely NO way this could ever have happened to me as my kids look exactly like me and I would have known before I left the hospital.
I believe she is being vague is because she settled a law suite and she is writing a book.
She has already written a book, she is just very nervous.
She seems pained
I’m not surprised bless her….what a dreadful thing to have happened to her and all of them
How would you feel if your own life was a lie? 😢😢
@@HUYI1 it isn’t really a lie. Both parents loved her. Parents are the people who look after you not necessarily blood.
@@jeanstones2566what do you mean they loved her? She just said that her family was dysfunctional and cold, and her biological mother didn’t want to have anything to do with her!
@@sparklyrainbowbunny I was JUST about to say the same thing. I wonder if this person actually watched the video! The mom that raised her was cold, the dad thought the mom cheated and never thought that she was his and the bio mom wanted nothing to do with her. Loving?
The interviewers should have asked her to just share her story.
This nearly happened to me. They out some child in my mother's arms to feed, and she exclaomed: THAT'S NOT MY BABY! 😂😂
You're awesome. You're one special lady!
Thank goodness my son looks so much like my husband.
In 1985 my blonde blue eyed son was switched in the hospital with a black baby because we had the same last name. It didn't work for a second. My husband who witnessed the birth said that's not my baby.
At the baby was a different race…. Very irresponsible of the hospital staff to make that mistake
@@HB-by3ym There are so many biracial couples now a days. But, this absolutely should not happen, check and check again before handing over a baby.
I can't even believe things like this even happens
In Brazil happens all the time...😔
💔💔
I jad a friemd who had a blond haired, fair skinned child at birth. A day later the hospital brought her a baby that was dark haired and dark skinned. She called the nurse right aeay to tell them they brought the wrong baby to her. After they investigated aomeone had accidently switched the children's leg nands after their baths.
There was actually an American show years ago called “switched at birth”. It was a really good show, based on a real story.
How sad. She should have been loved by both mothers even when the truth was told .
They didn’t even put a name bracelet on my son and I didn’t leave him alone
After 43 years, it would be hard for the hospital to find who or what happened.
If her birth mom denies her its possible her birth mom intentionally switched babies at the hospital.
I was wondering that myself.
The other “child” has dark hair and looks Hispanic - and this woman looks very white - so this doesn’t make sense
The biological mother may have switched babies. Why would she be so cold?
What does looks have to do with fitting in? My whole family looks different
My family has a physical resemblance, but in terms of personality and demeanour we are worlds apart. 🤦♀️All my siblings taught me was what not to be.
Everything when you’re the odd one out.
How can parents not recognize their own child? I had my child at home 25 yrs ago because I don't like hospitals and knew stories about children bringing diseases from hospitals.
Three home births for me! First was hospital after 3 days and nights, but our first was always with her father when not with me and we left within a few hours.
My father was switched at (or near) birth in 1916. He never knew this. It was not discovered until this time last year, after several years of DNA-genealogy.
I felt like an outsider my whole life but I’m certain I’m a product of my ‘parents’.
I wish I could have been switched at birth..
I cannot imagine two fathers grocery shopping WITH a newborn baby (or babies in general) in 1958....That never happened in that time, ever. Dumbest excuse ever made up.
She's not easy to interview. Probably because she was raised by a family that came over very cold. She has the same traits.
I do look like my family and it's a good thing or I would wonder if I had been switched at birth. I have always felt like an outsider in my own family.
They keep asking her questions and she barely answers them.
How was it discovered?
I hope Cat Deeley reviews her performance in this interview as she was so unprofessional.
It's sad that the parents didn't do testing earlier. While DNA testing is recent, paternity and maternity testing based on blood type and other markers has been available for many years. Most likely long ago it would have been impossible to find the birth parents, but without the shadow of betrayal over the home, chances are the father who raised her could have felt love for his wife again and felt free to love her. It's very sad when both families are dysfunctional. Things work out so much better when both families care about both sets of children. At least now it's easier to sort out a baby mix up, but probably in poor countries, mix ups are not unusual. Woe to the couple who has a mix up when the child doesn't resemble the father! Probably the couple would not be able to afford a DNA test!
I wonder if her birth mom snatched the other baby because she liked it better? Considering her birth mom's current attitude, I believe it is a possibility. I have a spanish mom and a polish dad, and my mom was a bit off about some things as a kid.
Same thoughts and question about the switching!
What is the story with the other swapped baby?
Hello, This Morning. It would have been quite nice if you had put details about the publisher or where to find this book. I’m hoping to buy it.
This is very sad they have messed up someones life.
She's hard to interview
Reminds me of an old Benny Hill skit I saw years ago. Interviewer ask long questions, and his responses were yes, and no! Funny stuff!
God bless Aunt Mary
Not her fault, not great interview style from the presenters
😂
I’m glad I’m not the only one noticing this.
Really sad story
What do the other daughter look like?
“Not her parents at all.” The man’s intro is poorly phrased. The people who raised her were her parents, but not biologically.
Lovely
Get nicky and davina for long lost family.
There are lots of stories of switched at birth. some are very sad.
She a lady of Few words.
I'm 50 and think my oldest sister has a different father (potentially swapped seeing in the 70s babies were taken to a separate room). I'll probably never know as my family turned nasty when I brought it up and tried to silence me. We're all estranged for years now.
I'm not surprised your family was angry! Saying your sister had a different father implies the same mother - you accused your mother of adultery and palming off another man's baby on your father! If you thought your sister was switched at birth, you'd have said different parents!!! Even saying that - you suspect that your sister was switched at birth - is really nasty. I'm shocked that you blame your family for reacting to your accusations this way. It couldn't have been a one-off statement from you.
I’m sorry it wasn’t just up for discussion.
@@SuzanneUThere could be a good reason she worded it that way… maybe the parents divorced and remarried and she stayed with her birth father.
The father probably wanted to know if she is his daughter because he didn't want ro leave anything to a woman that he raised but wasn't related to him. Can't imagine how can people be so disgustingly cold towards an innocent person with no fault of their own. I also see there was racism from all sides, even the bio mom was happy to have a white baby even if it wasn't hers and would reject her own daughter. Disgusting on all sides.
I don't understand, this lady does not look dark skinned or dark hair at all. She doesn't look anything like the 'biological' mother. She looks like the family that raised her.
Make it compulsory to use a leg and arm tag plus a temporary marker to write on the baby's right after birth! This is unacceptable!
What about the birth daughter of the Ladies family that had her take the dna test? What relationship does she have with her?
As someone who studies genealogy, I can tell you this happened more frequently than we know when women started giving birth in hospitals (1920’s onwards in US) as opposed to home. Hospitals didn’t have a system to keep track of newborns, no name-tags, bracelets, etc; babies were taken to nurseries while mothers rested, handed back and forth by nurses on different shifts. There are lots of stories like these and more to come I’m sure.
I want to know if the family who raised her ever found their biological daughter too!
She said they put banners up and welcomed her
Were you not listening, her biological mother had their daughter, or did you think the hospital did a three way baby switch …..
Shocking. Her. Mother. Was. Suspected. Of. An. Affair
How is it even possible, there's a curtain that separates each mother.
Back in the the late 70’s and early 80’s they didn’t have the protocol they do now. You gave birth very few new borns stayed with mom they were taken to the nursery and most everything was done by the nurses in the nursery vitals, babies first bath, birth certificate very little was done in front of birth moms unless mom requested it.
My mom told me that she had to fight with the nurses to be able to give me my first bath. They also wanted to take me away so my mom could sleep my mom said No she will stay here.
There were night nurseries where all the babies went, some private hospitals still do that. It goes wrong when the name tags are not checked upon return to the mother
@@heatherbeane3234this didn’t happen in the 70s and 80s. She was 43 when she found out 24 ago. So she is like 67 now so she was born in like 1958.
There have been cases before. Not that rare. Uncommon, yes. Rare? No.
I agree, very poor interviewers.
What has happened to the presenter’s mouth? She didn’t used to look like that.
My gosh! two awful mothers/fathers! how could you be so cruel to your own child, blood or not!
Home births….
The woman interviewing has a voice that made it unbearable to listen to this video.
Cat deeley is shockingly bad as an interviewer!