In Coronation Street, things haven’t been easy for the Bailey family in recent months. With James intending to adopt Dee-Dee’s baby, they were hopeful that would all change.
After the death of Joel Deering, Dee-Dee hoped she might be free of the abusive man who’d had her fooled for so long.
Instead, it soon came to light that she was pregnant by him…
Though her faith had her wrestling with the idea of getting a termination, Dee-Dee knew she didn’t want to keep Joel’s baby.
However, after realising that her baby might be a match for baby Frankie, she chose to continue with the pregnancy.
Though another donor was found in the meantime, it was too late for her to have an abortion by that point.
Instead, Dee-Dee decided she’d put her baby up for adoption.
Coronation Street: James’ return
Last month saw the return of recast James Bailey, Dee-Dee’s younger brother. Though James planned on moving to the USA with his partner, Danny, he came to visit the family.
It soon became clear that he and Danny wished to adopt a baby. The couple were hopeful they could adopt Dee-Dee’s child, due to the biological link to James.
Though initially hesitant, Dee-Dee later agreed. With the pair planning to move to America, she hoped she wouldn’t have to see the child often.
Dee-Dee’s hospital complications
This week, the pregnancy became even harder for Dee-Dee. As she started to experience pain while visiting Lauren, she headed to the maternity ward to get checked over.
Due to understaffing, she was quickly dismissed and told to go home.
Back at the flat, her waters broke.
Upon her return to the hospital, it was clear she never should have been sent home — she was suffering from preeclampsia, a pregnancy condition involving dangerously high blood pressure.
The baby, a girl who James named Laila, was born safely, but it didn’t end there.
A dismissive midwife was unimpressed when Dee-Dee refused to breastfeed or offer the baby skin-to-skin. She went on to suggest Dee-Dee just needed ‘time’ to settle after the frantic labour.
Soon, she passed out, and it became clear something was very wrong.
Things get worse for Dee-Dee
In tonight’s episode of Coronation Street (Wednesday, April 2), Ed was horrified to learn that the hospital’s negligence meant his daughter had undergone an emergency hysterectomy.
Though the surgery saved her life, it meant she wouldn’t be able to carry a baby in the future.
He urged her to reconsider giving baby Laila up for adoption, but Dee-Dee insisted it was the right thing to do.
When James heard the news, he insisted that it changed everything — and he, too, suggested she reconsider.
After thinking it over, Dee-Dee told her family she’d made up her mind. She wanted James and Danny to take Laila after all.
Will James’ adoption still go ahead in Coronation Street?
As James took baby Laila home from the hospital, he received a message from a friend of Danny’s.
As the episode came to an end, James told his brother Michael that Danny had been in a serious car accident.
Just how will the accident impact the adoption?
If Danny doesn’t survive, will James raise the baby on his own? Would he still move to America? Or will Dee-Dee end up having to raise baby Laila herself after all?
Well, upcoming Coronation Street spoilers reveal that James rushes off to America to visit Danny, leaving baby Laila at home with Dee-Dee.
Dee-Dee struggles to cope with Laila living under the same roof as her, with Ed trying his best to support his daughter and mind the little baby girl while James is away.
However, it’s unclear what the future looks like for Danny, and whether the couple will still adopt Laila although James’ trip to America is bound to at least stall the process.
