Flera Fazlyeva, 54, from Tatarstan, Russia, gave birth to a baby boy in 1986.
Convinced that she'd been given the wrong baby when she left hospital, Ms Fazlyeva launched a campaign to trace her biological child.
'I knew as soon as they put the baby in my arms that something was not right,'
'I was at the hospital on July 3. 1986. I knew as soon as they put the baby in my arms that something was not right,' said Flera.
'I told them then that they had given me the wrong baby and they refused to take it, but then a nurse and a doctor came to me and explained to me that it was impossible.'
But Flera said that she couldn't shake the feeling that she had got the wrong son, and despite her assertions even her closest family members didn't believe her.
Sadly, Flera was also too poor to be able to afford a DNA test, so had to accept the baby as her son.
But after finally doing a DNA test via post, her suspicions were confirmed - Ilshat, the boy she had raised from birth, was not her biological child.
It then took years to track down his real mother, who confirmed the heart-breaking news that Flera's son had died in 2004.
Aidar, who had been raised by Razia Fakarova, 56, died in a car accident at the tender age of 18.
Speaking of the incident, Ms Fakarova said: 'I lost my son and I burried him but with this bizarre twist I then found that actually it wasn't even my son I buried.'
The women are now suing health officials for £16,400 in compensation, and plan to buy a house where they can live together if they are successful.
However, doubts have been raised if the women will be awarded any money - as a compensation law only came into effect in 1991 - five years after the boys were switched.
Ilshat's biological mother has expressed her pain at discovering her deceased son was not her own, saying 'it's very difficult for all of us,' and that her biological son is only lukewarm towards her.