The journey of Peggy Olson and her baby boy in Mad Men initially left viewers in suspense, but the series later clarified the fate of her son. Throughout the show, Peggy’s story is a powerful narrative about an ambitious young woman who skillfully navigates the challenges of a male-dominated workplace. She rises from her position in the steno pool to become a valued member of the creative team by advocating for herself and consistently earning her place at the table. Her exceptional success in such a brief period even sparked feelings of resentment from Joan.
Yet, Peggy’s character is multilayered and complex. Her love life is tumultuous, featuring everything from passionate workplace affairs to an engagement shrouded in deception. She experiences a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother, a strained connection with her critical sister, and an on-again, off-again romance with Pete Campbell, the father of her child conceived during the first season of Mad Men. A significant aspect of Peggy’s character is the profound guilt she carries for giving up her baby — but what ultimately happens to the child?
Peggy Gives Birth to a Son Fathered by Pete Campbell in Season 1 of Mad Men
Peggy Discovers Her Pregnancy During a Doctor’s Visit for a Stomach Ache
In the climactic finale of Mad Men’s inaugural season — episode 13 titled “The Wheel” — Peggy’s relentless efforts to showcase her creative talents finally yield results. After impressing the Kodak executives with his heartfelt and family-centric pitch for the “Carousel,” Don Draper elevates Peggy to the position of junior copywriter and grants her a private office space, albeit still shared. Despite facing skepticism from her peers, Peggy is ecstatic about this recognition. However, her joy is short-lived as she is suddenly struck by a severe stomach ache and must leave to seek medical attention at the hospital.
When the midwife offers the baby to her, Peggy refuses to take him. She won’t even look at him or acknowledge his existence, because she’s not ready to be a mother.
Upon examination by a doctor, Peggy is taken aback to discover that her nausea stems from a cryptic pregnancy. The baby was conceived with Pete during their fleeting affair, which is marked by irony since Pete would later struggle with infertility issues with his own wife. During this visit, Peggy gives birth to a healthy baby boy. However, when the midwife hands her the baby, Peggy adamantly refuses to hold him. She cannot even bear to look at him or acknowledge his presence, as she feels utterly unprepared to embrace motherhood.
Peggy Chooses Adoption for Her Baby Between Seasons 1 and 2
When Season 2 Opens, Peggy’s Baby Is No Longer With Her
While the show does not explicitly depict Peggy giving up her baby for adoption, it strongly implies that this occurs between seasons 1 and 2. In season 2, episode 1, titled “For Those Who Think Young,” Peggy makes her return to the office after an extended absence of three months, visibly thinner than before. Her colleagues speculate about her sudden weight loss and the reasons behind her break. This noticeable change in her physique is a direct result of her unexpected childbirth, and the series eventually unveils that Peggy was absent from work for three months because she was hospitalized, grappling with the emotional turmoil of placing her baby for adoption.
Hints in Mad Men Suggest Peggy’s Sister Might Be Raising Her Baby in a Subtle Scene
Peggy Struggles to Confront Her Sister’s Children
Although it is heavily implied that Peggy has given her baby up for adoption (as she certainly does not appear to be raising him), Mad Men does not immediately reveal the child’s fate. In an ambiguous scene from season 2, episode 2, titled “Flight 1,” viewers are led to believe that Peggy’s baby may have been adopted by her sister. During a family dinner at their Brooklyn apartment, Peggy’s mother futilely tries to persuade her to attend Mass with them on Sundays, while her sister implies that the State of New York regards Peggy as mentally unstable.
Peggy reluctantly looks into the bedroom where her sister’s children sleep. Her sister has three kids, and the youngest is still a baby.
As Peggy prepares to leave the apartment, her sister encourages her to bid goodnight to her children. Hesitantly, Peggy glances into the bedroom where her sister’s children are sleeping. Notably, her sister has three kids, with the youngest still being an infant. This creates a natural speculation regarding the possibility that the baby was Peggy’s and has been adopted by her sister. This scene is intentionally designed to evoke such discussions, yet it leaves the answer deliberately vague. Despite the older children attempting to engage her in conversation, Peggy remains silent and departs almost immediately.
The Significance of the Scene: Whether It’s Peggy’s Baby or Not
Peggy’s Hesitation to Engage with the Kids Reflects Her Guilt Over Abandoning Her Baby
Regardless of whether the baby in Peggy’s sister’s home is indeed the one she surrendered, the essence of this scene remains unchanged. Peggy’s reluctance to enter the children’s room and confront them underscores her profound guilt over placing her own child for adoption. The moment she gazes at her sister’s children and notices the baby in the crib, she is immediately reminded of the child she gave away. Peggy’s sister is aware of this, which explains her insistence on having Peggy say goodnight to the kids in the first place — she enjoys pushing Peggy’s emotional buttons.
Mad Men Ultimately Confirms That Peggy’s Sister’s Baby Was Her Own, While Peggy’s Child Was Adopted by Another Family
Peggy Informs Stan, “He’s With a Family Somewhere”
After allowing viewers to contemplate the unanswered questions surrounding Peggy’s child for several years, Mad Men finally clarifies the situation in season 7, episode 11, titled “Time & Life.” It is a common trend for television series to unravel unresolved mysteries during their final season, providing closure to lingering plotlines. Just as the concluding season of Breaking Bad revisited past characters and Lost attempted to explain the origins of the Smoke Monster, Mad Men ultimately addressed the fate of Peggy’s baby.
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Peggy finally musters the courage to unburden herself about her past and confides in Stan about the baby she placed for adoption. She tells him, “He’s with a family somewhere.” Although she is unaware of the specific family or their whereabouts, she clarifies that it is not due to a lack of care on her part. The baby in Peggy’s sister’s home is indeed her sister’s biological child. The child that Peggy gave birth to was adopted by another family, potentially outside New York.
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Peggy does not express regret over her decision to give her baby up for adoption, as she recognizes that she was not prepared to take on the role of a mother. Given that it was a cryptic pregnancy, she had no time to mentally prepare for motherhood before the child was suddenly in her arms. Young and driven by her career aspirations, Peggy felt she was too unready to embrace motherhood. However, throughout Mad Men, it is evident that Peggy carries with her a heavy burden of guilt for having made that choice.
