From the very moment Shabnam revealed to her father that she hadn’t felt her unborn baby move for some time, we knew that EastEnders was preparing to air one of their most emotional episodes yet.
And, in last night’s instalment (August 31), viewers across the country were left in tears as they watched Shabnam Masood give birth to her stillborn son.
The trauma, which seems set to push her and Kush’s relationship to breaking point, was dealt with sensitively and realistically.
And, judging by responses on Twitter, it seemed as if viewers were truly feeling the tragic loss of Shabnam and Kush (Rakhee Thakrar and Davood Ghadami)’s little boy.
Here are some of the most powerful tweets:
Speaking about the tragic storyline with the Radio Times, Rakhee Thakrar, who plays Shabnam Masood, revealed that she spent time speaking to mothers who’d experienced stillbirth before partaking in the story.
She said: “They have a bond with their baby that nobody else does. Their child was alive in their belly and only the mother knows, for instance, how they wriggled.
“I learned that a mother will protect her children and a bereaved mother will protect her child’s memory. So, I haven’t met one mum who doesn’t love to hear their baby’s name.
“Please, if you’ve got a friend who has had a stillborn baby, say their baby’s name. Only the other day, I was speaking to one woman who said that it’s really nice to hear her baby’s name said out loud.”
If you were affected by this story, you can contact Sands – Stillbirth and neonatal death charity on 020 7436 5881.
And, for more information on your unborn baby’s movements, please visit the Count The Kicks website now.
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