The Wombs of Weatherfield

One of the central cobbles themes of late is all about babies, pregnancy and IVF. To start with Leanne - we saw her give birth in a lift with out of favour sister, Toyah, as midwife. The ambulance arrived, Toyah, Leanne and baby Oliver, were freed from the lift and, holding her baby tight, Leanne was wheeled into the ambulance. Nick hopped in to accompany Leanne and 'their' son to hospital. There was a meaningful glance between Nick and Steve, the biological father, then off drove the ambulance.

Oh the irony! On the very day that Steve and Michelle scattered their baby's ashes, Steve's 'other baby' was born. How difficult this will be for Steve and indeed for Liz, as Leanne's much-wanted baby, is to be brought up by Leanne and Nick, barely a stone's throw from The Rovers. Will Liz approach Leanne and hope for some contact? And what about Michelle? Will she be suspicious as to why Liz is so interested in Leanne and Nick's baby? And Gail - will she learn that the baby she thought was Nick's isn't Nick's? She may have already become attached ...so how might she react? 

A further irony is that Toyah missed her IVF appointment as she was busy delivering Leanne's baby. Time will tell if Toyah and Peter have a baby together and, in his more mature years, whether or not Peter will step up to the plate and be a full time dad. But, doesn't Chloe, the girl in the taxi, loom over that possibility.

And might Michelle and Steve try for another baby? After seeing Michelle holding Oliver, might it not be the case that she will be keen to try again? Until she finds out that her husband is in fact Oliver's biological father. Then what? And can Leanne live a lie?

A while ago, we discovered that Mary had had a baby at the tender age of 14, which was forcibly taken from her. She found him, was offered a new life at the other side of the world, but changed her mind at the last minute and stayed in Weatherfield.

What of future births on the cobbles? Sarah and Gary could have a child - the second for Gary and the third for Sarah. And Rosie? With Adam or someone else?  Sinead and Daniel? And what about Maria when she is released?  Will she and Aidan be a couple or will he stick with Eva, who, I would guess, would love a child with him. And there's always Tracy and Luke. Maybe there will be a romance between Chesney and Gemma. Might Tyrone and Fiz have another child? But where, may I ask, is Dylan, Sean and Violet's child?

Despite all this womb chat, I am with Jennifer Aniston, whose womb has probably endured more scrutiny than any other. She wrote an article on that very topic and I couldn't agree more with her. Her take was that women should not be defined by their reproductive capabilities - not now, not then and not in the future.

Ruth Owen, twitter: @Ruth1722
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Nick and Leanne, Steve and Michelle, Peter and Toyah - Couples under the Microscope

Under scrutiny are 3 couples - , Nick and Leanne, Steve and Michelle, and Toyah and Peter.

Leanne and Nick have been together on and off throughout their adult lives. Should they now realise that they don't really work or should they make a major effort for the sake of the new baby and for Simon, to stay together? Well, try as they might, it seems increasingly improbable that they will not see it through. Only this week, Nick's antagonism and volatility to anything to do with Steve, showed itself again in one of this week's episode

As Liz is Steve's mother and the biological grandmother of Leanne's baby, Nick cannot accept the gift of a Moses basket, which Leanne had graciously accepted, in the full knowledge that this is the day when Steve and Michelle attend their baby's funeral. Demonstrating her emotional intelligence, a thawing towards Liz has occurred in Leanne, in the acceptance of the Moses basket. Nick, by contrast demands that it be removed and not just because he has bought one too, but because he is churlish and ungrateful and because Liz happens to be Steve's mother. As far as I know, Liz has never done anything to hurt Nick and yet he is inexcusably rude to her. That she must be suffering and grieving seems to be an irrelevance to Nick. His selfishness and thoughtlessness get in the way of common decency.

Nick has a further difficulty - Peter. Despite Leanne's reassurances, Nick is jealous of Peter. Viewers will remember that in an unguarded moment Steve confessed to Peter that he was the father of Leanne's baby. It seems unlikely that Peter will not use that knowledge to his own advantage when the moment should arise.

Leanne and Nick's relationship cannot stand the strain. Affected by Liz's loss, it may be that after all Liz may have a role in Leanne's baby's life. That said, Nick may be more than unhappy about that and put a stop to it.

Though temporarily reconciled after their baby's funeral, the future looks less than secure for Steve and Michelle. Inevitably, it will be revealed that Steve is the father of Leanne's baby and in her fragile state, Michelle will be devastated. And what of Robert? So far, having told Michelle that he has feelings for her, might she not take solace in him? She will no doubt discover too that all along Liz knew that Steve was the father of Leanne's baby. It is perfectly understandable that Liz did not reveal what she knew to Michelle. Whether Michelle will see it this way is more than doubtful.

And, may I ask - where is Ryan?

From the beginning, I have struggled to understand why Toyah and Peter can't tell Leanne that they are an item until her baby has been born. My own belief is that Leanne won't really care that much except for an anxiety over Peter's ability to remain faithful.

I wanted to be convinced but Peter and Toyah just don't work for me and that is aside from the coincidence of their ever meeting and then the further step of them deciding to begin a relationship, despite Leanne's past with Peter and the fact that she is bringing up his son.

And what about husband Toby? Toyah has no children and her biological clock is ticking. This may not concern her but then again, if it does, and she may have her maternal feelings stirred up by the arrival of Leanne's baby, it seems unlikely that Peter will be keen for another child.

It was unseemly of  Toyah to allow Simon to take the blame for the cigarettes that Peter had left at Leanne's flat. Has she no moral fibre? What decent adult  allows a child to take the rap for something for which they themselves are wholly responsible?

Maybe it's an obvious conclusion, but, with the best will in the world, it won't last.

Ruth @ruth1722

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