An Indiana woman who has experienced immense losses recently discovered her pregnancy was no longer viable. She reacted in a way that many mothers would who go through such a life-altering event. But the internet immediately came after her with judgment for her reaction. Now, she’s speaking out about why she reacted how she did and why she doesn’t feel like she deserves the internet’s judgment during this vulnerable time.
Elleigh (@elleighhasababy) already knows what loss feels like, as her baby passed away after birth. Recently, she discovered she was pregnant and went for an ultrasound scan with her husband. Unfortunately, at this scan, she was told that her baby’s heartbeat no longer existed. She shared a “vulnerable, real, and raw video” of the event on her TikTok page. In the video, the ultrasound tech shows her the video of the fetus but explains that there’s no heartbeat and apologizes to both of them.
While Elleigh is crying and being comforted, the ultrasound tech tries to assist her. But feeling immense grief and anger, Elleigh reacts by shouting, “Don’t touch me!” The tech immediately backs off, understanding what Elleigh is going through. Even though she wanted to show a raw and emotional moment in her life to her TikTok audience, they didn’t react how she expected. Many immediately jumped to defend the ultrasound tech instead of meeting Elleigh with understanding during that horrific moment.
Commenters immediately shared their reactions on Elleigh’s initial video, with many speaking out against her for the tone she used with the tech. One commenter stated, “Healthcare workers are NOT punching bags.” Another commented, “Grief is never an excuse to treat someone unkind or rude. EVER.” However, another asked, “We are actually tone policing a woman who just found out her baby is dead. Y’all really hate women.”
Elleigh decided to confront online commenters and explain her side of the story. As she said, she has no regrets over how she handled the moment. According to her, she was “setting a very needed physical boundary in the moment.” In her update video, she explains that she wasn’t rude or derogatory to the ultrasound tech. It was just a reaction to the sudden grief and shock. She said the ultrasound tech grabbed both her legs to offer condolences, and in that moment, it set Elleigh off. Elleigh did say that she “apologized” to the tech afterward. The tech wasn’t upset with Elleigh and understood where she was coming from.
Even though Elleigh took the time to explain herself and the situation, commenters continue to share their opinions about how the situation was handled. One commented, “Nah girl it was ur tone.” Another added, “You yelled at her. She didn’t deserve that.” But one commenter defended her, asking, “I’m actually losing my mind in the comments, why are we expecting decorum from a woman experiencing trauma?” Commenters from both sides share their opinions on how the situation was handled. The video continues to garner attention and comments as it gains popularity.
