Emma Willis: Delivering Babies (2018) s02e03 Episode Script
Season 2, Episode 3
1
'Last year, TV presenter
and mother-of-three Emma Willis
'spent ten weeks
working on the front line
'of the Princess Alexandra
Hospital's maternity unit.'
Well done!
It's something I always,
always wanted to do, and thank you
for letting me live it.
'Now Emma is returning
to finish her training'
You've really got hooked with us,
haven't you? Yeah.
I love it! I love it!
'..to become a fully-qualified
maternity care assistant
'that could work in any hospital
in the country.'
I feel like
there's so much to learn.
'She'll be more independent'
Ah! You're one of us! It's real!
'..across high risk wards'
BABY CRIES
'..and in theatre.' Hello!
I just got a bit broody
for a second then.
'Supporting a dedicated team
of midwives'
That's it. That's really good.
Keep that going. Keep that going.
Push it away.
SHE YELLS Push it away.
Push. Push. Push. Push.
That's the one. That's the one.
'..Emma will share the pressures'
"Emergency team, please go
to the labour ward theatre."
'..the fears' I'm scared!
'..and the joys'
You're going to have a baby.
Oh! I love you, little lady!
'..of helping to bring new life'
Congratulations.
'..into the world.' Oh, my God!
BABY CRIES
I'm gonna be a wreck
by the end of this.
PHONE RINGS
Good morning, birthing unit,
how may I help?
'It's the start of another
eight-hour shift for Emma
'at the Princess Alexandra Hospital
in Essex.'
Emma, this lady's coming in for
elective caesarean section. I've
called her. She's on her way. Yep.
When she comes,
would you do a full set of obs
Yep including resps. Yep.
'Today, Emma's working
with the elective caesarean team.'
One round her ankle
and one round her wrist. Yeah.
'Working alongside midwife Wendy,
'she'll be conducting observations
on the women coming in for surgery.'
You don't need to worry.
It's all in hand.
SHE LAUGHS
I'm sure it is.
THEY LAUGH
Who have you got with you today?
I'm on my own for now.
Steve's just doing the school run
and then he's coming straight up.
See, that's what I've done
with my husband. Yeah.
Come on down. Is that alright? Yes.
'34-year-old mum-of-four Lauren is
booked in for surgery later today.'
I don't wanna do it
too tight for you.
'After previously undergoing
an emergency caesarean section,
'this time she has elected
to have one for the birth
of her fifth child.'
Do you know what you're having?
No. A surprise.
What have you got already?
Two girls, two boys. I'm never
gonna win, cos the girls want a girl
and the boys want a boy.
Really? Yeah. Oh, mine were
the opposite. Oh, really? Yeah.
My girl wanted to be the only girl.
Yeah.
And my son,
he wanted to have another sister.
'As part of the pre-surgery
observations, Emma is checking
Lauren's blood pressure.'
Everything will be high
cos I'm a bit nervous.
Really? It always is. Yeah.
Have you had high blood pressure?
Only when I come here.
SHE LAUGHS
It's fine at home. Just relax.
Soon you'll have another one
to add to your lovely list. Mm.
I'll calm down later.
It'll be alright.
SHE LAUGHS
It's normal, though, isn't it?
Even though you've got
four children already,
you're still bringing another little
one into the world and it's
I know what's coming.
I've got three. What's the
difference between three and four?
Does it make much difference?
No. A bigger car. A bigger car!
MONITOR BEEPS
Just relax.
I'll come back in two secs. OK.
'Emma's readings have shown
that Lauren's blood pressure
is significantly high.'
It probably is that.
But that is, yeah, quite high.
'So Emma will have to conduct
further tests
'to see if it's safe for Lauren
to have surgery today.'
Emma, if we take
some bloods from her.
"We" like me or you? Er you.
SHE LAUGHS
I haven't taken any
since I've been back.
I feel like my blood pressure's
just gone like hers.
SHE LAUGHS
I didn't expect to do bloods today.
You'll be alright.
EMMA SIGHS
I've just been asked to do manual
blood pressure, urine sample
and take blood.
It's only eight o'clock.
The only thing of those three things
I've done since I've been back
is blood pressure.
I haven't taken blood yet.
I haven't done the urine sample yet.
I'm just gonna smile and wave.
Fake it till you make it.
Purple. Group and save, is it? No.
Full blood count. Full blood count.
'Although Emma received ten hours
of blood training last year,
'it's been nine months
since she's taken blood.'
Shall I put this together now?
You can do, yeah.
Perfect.
Sharp scratch.
You've not got any flashback.
Yeah, you did. Look. See? Oh, yeah.
Fabulous. OK. Are you OK?
Yeah, fine. Am I hurting you?
And now pull it out? Yeah.
Oh, my God! I just did it!
SHE GASPS
Thank you!
SHE LAUGHS
It didn't hurt at all.
I did blood!
I feel like I could do a dance!
I'm so happy!
Hand them in.
Tell them you need them quickly?
I will ring the lab and tell them.
OK.
Now the ball is rolling
and I wanna keep doing it.
I'm not a needle ninja just yet.
But I feel like I have
huge potential in that area.
Thank you. Cheers.
'Mum Lauren must now wait to see
if she'll be cleared for surgery.'
When you're already
in a nervous or anxious mindset
going into something like that,
which she obviously is, it's gonna
raise your blood pressure.
So I think they just need her
to calm down.
This is baby number five. But it
doesn't matter how many you've had,
it's still a nervous experience.
You're still going into theatre,
you're still having major surgery,
and you still have a little bundle
that you want to come out safely.
BABY SNEEZES
'In any given week,
'around 85 women give birth on the
Princess Alexandra maternity unit.
'Some women start out
on the antenatal ward,
'where they wait
until their labour has progressed.'
SHE BREATHES DEEPLY
I think it moved.
'33-year-old Tamina
is ten days overdue
'with her first child, a daughter.'
Just need to do your pulse, honey.
'She's been induced and has been
on the antenatal ward for over
24 hours with her husband, Saeed.'
We got married last year.
There are only three women
in my life, my mum, my wife,
and my child, baby girl.
I've got some of her toys
ready at home already.
And even this afternoon,
I was just setting them in the line.
HE LAUGHS
So I'm just gonna feel your tummy
and put it on the monitor. I've got
cold hands so I do apologise.
No problem.
I've got a knee or something.
SHE LAUGHS
'Tamina is an accountant
and Saeed works at the hospital
as a doctor in the A&E department.'
Most of the people know me,
because I've been working here
for a few years now.
From the canteen,
I was there in the morning,
and they're like, "How is the baby?
Is the baby coming out yet?"
Which is exciting on one side.
On the other side, this labour
is going on for quite a while.
'Although Tamina
is having regular contractions,
'her labour hasn't progressed.
'So she's being moved
to the labour ward,
where she can be closely monitored.'
You've got a contraction.
Use your gas.
Are you happy if I examine you now,
see if we've made any progress
from breaking your waters?
'Tamina's being looked after
by 23-year-old Zoe,
'who qualified as a midwife
just 18 months ago.'
When I was 11, my mum had a baby.
And from then, I sort of said that
that's what I was gonna do,
I was gonna be a midwife.
Didn't know what it was
until I got on placement,
and thank goodness, I loved it.
Just the same as last time.
So you're feeling me touch,
cold jelly, lots of pressure. OK?
Tell me if you want me to stop
at any point.
It is like a big family.
Everyone is so caring
and friendly and supportive.
And I think it makes such
a difference to coming to work.
It makes it
You look forward to coming to work.
Use your gas now
so it's a bit more comfortable.
Well done. Just take
some nice deep breaths for me.
SHE INHALES
Well done. 'On examination, Zoe is
concerned with the baby's position.'
I'm not certain what part
of the baby I'm definitely feeling.
I know they scanned and they said
baby's head's down.
But I'm not sure if baby's slightly
wonky and we can feel an ear,
or slightly that way and we can
feel this part of baby's head. OK?
So I'm just gonna speak to the
doctor. Is that OK? I won't be long.
Yeah? Are you alright?
'Zoe calls the consultant
for a second opinion.
'But as a doctor, dad Saeed is well
aware of the potential dangers.'
'It's now down to consultant
Dr Elsandabisi
'to decide
whether it's safe for Tamina
to deliver her baby vaginally.'
Well done.
You're shaking. Is that the worry?
Have your gas and air
if you want to. OK.
So it shows that the baby's position
is an undeliverable presentation.
So it means that we cannot
deliver you vaginally.
It will have to be
a caesarean section.
OK, we'll get things going for you
as soon as possible now.
'After almost two days of labour,
'Tamina needs to be taken
to theatre to have her baby
by emergency caesarean section.'
'Once the surgeon reaches the
uterus, they have just 12 minutes
'to deliver the baby safely.
'But there's a complication.'
'The baby has moved
into a sideways position,
'making it difficult to be
manoeuvred out of the uterus.'
It's a hand. It's a hand.
'A dangerous occurrence,
only seen in one in 300 cases.'
'Two minutes on,
'the situation has become
life-threatening for the baby.'
Hayley, get a gown and gloves
ready for him.
'In theatre, first-time mum Tamina
'is giving birth
by emergency caesarean section.'
'But the baby has unexpectedly moved
into a sideways position
'and is stuck in the uterus.'
'Midwife Zoe has called
the consultant obstetrician.'
'And it's now down to him
to help save the baby's life.'
We see emergencies a lot.
Sometimes there's ways around it,
so there's other things
that we can do.
But when it's a situation
that the team haven't seen before,
can't deal with alone,
that's when we call
the most senior doctor on shift.
In some situations,
that is our only option.
'In the case
of a sideways presentation,
'the consultant
needs to locate the feet
and bring the baby out backwards.'
'45 seconds later,
a baby girl is finally born.'
The baby's out.
'But she's unresponsive.'
"Neonatal emergency team, please go
to the labour ward theatre.
"Neonatal emergency team,
"please go to
the labour ward theatre."
'The baby is not breathing,
'so the emergency team
have been called.'
INDISTINCT CHATTER
Check the heartbeat again, please.
Yep. At one minute.
I'm doing it. I'm doing it.
'The team start immediate
resuscitation on the baby.'
More than 100. More than 100?
Yes, more than 100.
'After three minutes
of respiratory support,
'the baby is breathing on her own.'
BABY GURGLES
BABY GURGLES
BABY CRIES
Thank you. Hello!
SHE LAUGHS
'It's midwife Zoe's job to introduce
the baby to her parents.'
Do you want to meet your baby girl?
SHE LAUGHS
She's absolutely fine.
She was just very shocked.
SHE SOBS
Those three minutes
was like three years to me.
I was just looking at the clock
going tick, tick, tick.
And then suddenly a cry.
It was a noise coming from heaven.
HE LAUGHS
'Whilst Tamina remains in theatre
to be stitched up,
'dad Saeed spends some time
with his daughter.'
Hello, Daddy.
WOMAN LAUGHS
I used to think
I've got a strong nerve.
But I was wrong.
Happy.
Excited.
'Not all caesarean sections
are carried out
in an emergency situation.'
Two, four, six.
'Every year at the hospital,
around 600 women elect
to have their baby in theatre.
'Today, Emma is assisting the team
as they prepare for
the next planned operation.'
So it's a warmer, a radiant warmer,
but it also obviously is resus. It's
got oxygen. It's got suction. Yeah.
Just power on. It's just there.
MACHINE BEEPS
'Although Emma has helped during
caesarean sections before'
Is it an automatic setting? Yep. You
turn it on to go to pre-warm? Yep.
'..this is the first time
she will be the only maternity
care assistant in theatre.'
And then I've done my checks already
to make sure my settings
are all correct. Yeah.
So normally,
with the maternity care assistants,
we normally ask you to just switch
it on for us, so it can start
warming up. Yeah. Alright?
Great. So everything's set.
Absolutely. Right, this is Claire.
Hi again.
THEY LAUGH
How are you?
I'm good. You? Yeah, good.
Right. I'm gonna let you
mainly be the circulator today.
Don't do that. I'll be with you.
Like this? Together? Yes. Literally.
I'm gonna be stuck to you. Good.
You're gonna boss me around.
Well, in a nice way, yes.
'Emma will be working alongside
the theatre support worker, Claire.'
Ah! You're one of us!
It's real! Yeah!
I want to feel like I can contribute
and do something.
I think it's about building
my confidence in theatre
and having
a little bit more responsibility.
I don't want it all now.
I want it when I deserve it.
But I definitely want it this time.
Does it hurt your back? Yeah.
'34-year-old mum of four Lauren is
booked in for the next operation.'
Come on. Come on, baby.
'Following earlier blood tests,
she's now been given the all-clear
'to have her elective
caesarean section.'
Relax. Remember your pulse being up.
I know. I know. Yeah.
It's all good. It's all fine.
We'll see this baby in a bit. OK.
Don't worry. Thank you.
'Lauren's husband, Steve,
has arrived to support her for
the birth of their fifth child.'
Have you had breakfast? Sit down.
We've got four children already.
Lily, Alfie, Daisy and Freddie.
I think we were happy with one.
We were delighted with two.
We were ecstatic with three.
Super happy with four.
And five's just gonna be amazing.
Hi. Hello!
I don't wanna miss it, so
THEY LAUGH
'Four hours after arriving
at the hospital,
'it's time for Lauren to go into
theatre, accompanied by Emma.'
We're matching. We are matching.
I have no idea whether it's gonna be
a boy or a girl.
But the pattern's worked out that
it's been girl, boy, girl, boy,
so if that patterns continues,
it will be a girl.
But, erm, we'll see what happens.
You alright? Yeah, fine, yeah.
'Lauren has had two previous
caesarean sections,
'so is aware that she is undergoing
major abdominal surgery.'
Just don't let me bleed to death,
that's all. Yeah.
She's very anxious, yeah.
Not in life.
No. She worries about the children,
yeah, not about herself at all.
She worries about the children.
My job in theatre will be mainly
to keep Lauren calm and composed.
She'll be panicking a lot,
she'll be saying things like,
"Is it OK? Is it OK?"
And obviously,
I won't know the answer to that.
But I will reassure her.
It's alright, Lauren. It's fine.
SHE SOBS
Everyone's here. I'm really scared.
There's nothing to be scared about,
alright? It's OK. Alright?
All the right people are here.
It's the safest place for you to be.
Nothing's gonna go wrong. Everyone's
here and they'll look after you.
Don't worry about it. Alright?
Nothing to worry about.
'Lauren will have
a spinal anaesthetic
'and remain behind a screen
for the procedure.'
Well done, babes. First bit done.
Literally half an hour
and it'll all be done.
Alright? Literally half an hour.
Green-Armytage? Two, four, six.
'Today, for the first time,
'Emma is the only maternity care
assistant in theatre.'
Spencer Wells? Two, four,
six, eight.
'She's working alongside
scrub nurse Pam
'and theatre support worker Claire
'as they prepare for 34-year-old
Lauren's operation.'
Everything's planned.
Everyone knows what they're doing.
They've done it a million times
before. Completely under control.
Alright? Nothing to worry about
at all. Nothing to worry about.
'She's being looked after
by her husband, Steve.'
Your blood pressure's fine.
Blood pressure's fine.
You've been given all the medicine
you need. I'm just gonna do some
final checks before we start.
It's all standard procedure, OK?
Nothing to worry about. Yep.
You can't touch it.
So then they can pull it in,
move it about. Yeah.
Try and relax. Just relax.
Just don't panic. Just don't panic.
In this one? Yep.
'Unlike an emergency,
with a planned caesarean section,
'the team can take their time
in theatre.'
Yeah?
OK.
Knife, please.
Nearly there. Baby's coming out.
Ready? Yeah.
Hello!
'Just 40 minutes
after arriving in theatre,
'Lauren and Steve's fifth baby
is born.'
What is it?
BABY CRIES
'And it's Emma's job
to record the time of birth.'
BABY CRIES
It's a girl. It's a girl? Aww!
Congratulations.
I'll dry her off and bring her back,
alright?
Thank you.
BABY CRIES
Here's your daddy!
Let's turn that light off
Oh, gooey, isn't she?
..so you can see her better.
She can open her eyes.
BABY CRIES
Alright. There's Daddy! Look!
Alright. I know.
I know. Right, come this side.
It's OK. It's OK.
BABY CRIES
Congratulations. It's OK.
Did it follow the pattern? Pardon?
Did it follow the patter?
Yeah, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl.
BABY CRIES
It's OK. It's OK.
That's it, well done.
I'll take those.
BABY CRIES
I'll just take her over to Mum, just
to make sure she's good. Thank you.
You come over, as well.
Say thank you.
Say, "Thank you, Dr Ali."
Oh, such a beautiful smile!
THEY LAUGH
Oh, that's OK. Hello!
Oh, my God.
Oh, my girlie.
She's perfect. Is she breathing
alright? She's fine.
Well done. She's lovely.
How much does she weigh?
I haven't weighed her yet
cos I could hear you asking for her,
so we just cut her cord
and brought her to you.
She's perfect.
She's having a snooze now.
Well done.
You've done amazing again.
I can't believe this was just inside
me. Like, it's mad, isn't it? Yeah.
It's crazy.
It sounds cheesy,
but it is love at first sight.
You can't put it into words.
It's an individual
you've only met for a few seconds
but you're completely in love.
The best feeling in the world.
She's so gorgeous.
Are you OK, Lauren? Are you OK?
Yeah.
I just can't believe
that she's here.
I got a bit broody for a second
then. I had to step away.
Maybe I could have four.
'As Lauren is taken to recovery'
Thank you very much.
Thanks for all your help.
'..Emma needs to carry out
the post-operative checks
'as she finishes up her first shift
in theatre as the sole MCA.'
One, two, three, four,
one in use, five.
It was nice this time because I felt
like I could actually do something.
The first two or three
that I've been in,
I've felt like I've been observing,
which is absolutely
the right thing to do,
but I kind of wanna be in there
and helpful,
rather than being in there
and just watching.
Toothed and untoothed.
Button crusher. Button crusher.
Forceps, Wrigley's forceps.
Wrigley's. Thank you.
I've never put a diathermy patch on
and plugged it in before.
That was a first. Tick.
I've never plugged those little leg,
erm, massagey things I should
really learn the names of things.
Lovely. I hope you really enjoyed
this morning. I did, loved it.
Cos you did a lot more, didn't you?
It felt weird saying that list out.
No! No, you did really, really well.
Thanks. Hopefully Again.
Again! Why not?
I love theatre.
It terrified me
last time I was here.
But the more times I'm in there,
the more I feel more comfortable
with what I might get asked to do,
so, er, more time in theatre
would be lovely.
What should we call the baby?
Do you feel a bit weird? Yeah.
What shall we call her? I don't
know. What are we thinking, Violet?
Violet or Petal. Petal.
'Just four hours since Lauren's
elected caesarean section,
'her four other children
have arrived
'and are meeting their new sister
for the first time.'
Freddie, what do you think?
I think Violet.
You think Violet? You like Violet,
do you? Violet or Primrose.
Today's been absolutely magical.
Couldn't have gone more perfect.
We've got a perfect young girl
joining our family.
Mum, literally everybody says
at school,
"Has she had the baby yet?
Has she had the baby?" I was like,
"No, might be Saturday."
So I was like,
"I should just put a letter out."
THEY LAUGH
You'll have to go in with a big sign
on Monday. "She's a girl!"
Having a fifth child, it will
obviously make things different,
but all four children at the moment,
they all bring something different
to the table,
and they all love each other so
much, and I just can't wait to see
the fifth one grow up and develop
her own unique personality
and see how she interacts
with her brothers and sisters.
I'm really excited by it
and I can't wait to see it happen.
Easy life, this one, isn't it? Mm.
He's normally quiet this time.
He's not a morning baby.
HE LAUGHS
'On the antenatal ward,
a new couple has arrived,
'35-year-old charity worker Candice
and her husband, Marco.'
HEARTBEAT THUMPS
Just having a little rest,
little chill out.
It must be quite scary,
cos all of a sudden,
you're being pushed,
like, pushed out. Yeah.
He doesn't know it's gonna happen.
No.
'The couple are expecting
a baby boy.
'Candice is one day overdue
'and is in the first stage
of labour.'
I secretly hoped that
when she put this on there,
there'd be loads of contractions
and I'm just really, really strong
and I didn't feel any of them.
No, you're gonna feel
every little bit, and so am I.
It's gonna be a joint experience,
I'm sure.
We met at a festival in Croatia.
Candice actually had a seagull
on her head on the dance floor.
We stayed in touch for about
seven years we were friends for.
One day, I invited her round
for dinner, and it sort of
evolved from there, really.
I think she moved in
about three weeks later.
HE LAUGHS
So, yeah, life's amazing.
I'm blessed to have her in it.
Married, child on the way,
life's good.
This is the next stage, really,
isn't it? Exciting.
I'm definitely not gonna be looking
at the business end, anyway,
when he comes out, that's for sure.
You can't decide that yet.
Who can't?
In the moment, you might
No, I'll be standing behind you,
stroking your brow.
HE LAUGHS That's not for me.
I can't wait. It's something
I've always wanted, all my life,
and I thought I'd be a parent in
my early 20s and it never happened,
so, yeah, I'm 45 now,
the oldest dad in town.
HE LAUGHS
Yeah. So exciting times, yeah.
Hello. Hi, Lucy. Are you OK? Yeah.
Are you feeling these movements OK?
I'm not really feeling
I'm not feeling much.
'Candice previously had three
unsuccessful pregnancies,
'so she's being closely monitored
by midwife Lucy.'
Are you feeling any sort of
tightenings or anything? No.
When I sat down earlier, I was quite
tight, but while I've been lying
here, I haven't felt anything.
Doesn't feel that tight, actually.
It feels nice and soft.
We was trying to get pregnant
for quite a while, to be honest.
We had three losses along the way,
which was
..which wasn't very nice,
to be honest.
Cos it was something
we both really wanted.
For us, it was very difficult.
That's fine. Just little niggles
at the minute. So
But everything looks OK on there?
Absolutely. Brilliant. OK.
So we can move around now?
Act like your normal self now.
Walk around as normal, go and get
some fresh air, go to the canteen.
Just come back if you notice
anything with the movements or pain
or anything like that,
anything abnormal. Yeah, yeah.
But that is all good for now.
And everything's fine?
Absolutely. Looks lovely on there.
So just give us a shout if there's
any changes or you're worried.
Yeah, yeah. Alright, I'll be back.
OK. See you. Thank you.
We've just been very nervous
and very cautious of everything
we've done cos of the losses.
In the back of your mind, you always
think it's gonna happen again.
And you want it so bad.
It's just a worry
that's always hanging over you.
So, yeah, it's been, er
it's been difficult,
very upsetting for both of us.
I'm never doing this again. Ohh!
You've gone through so much already.
So this is the last little bit,
babe.
SHE GROANS
Then you'll be able to hold him.
'13 hours later,
'Candice is almost fully dilated
and is now being looked after
'by newly-qualified midwife
Charlie.'
Honestly,
this is the last little stretch.
You're doing fantastic.
You're doing so well.
CANDICE SOBS
When ladies go from being in labour
to transitioning
into the stage
where they're fully dilated
and going to birth their baby,
they become a bit disheartened,
and that's something
that us as midwives
are trained to look out for.
It's called the transitional stage
and it's the hardest part.
It's just sitting there!
Yeah, but this is it.
Just get it out!
SHE SOBS
I just want it to finish now!
I've had enough!
You're so, so close. Honestly.
When ladies say,
"I can't do it any more,"
the first thing that clicks
in my head is, "She's probably
gonna have a baby soon."
SHE SOBS
Calm, calm, calm, calm. Ow.
Darling, you're so, so close
and you've done fantastic, OK?
SHE YELLS
That's it, push right down
into your bottom. Keep it going
for as long as you can.
Keep it going, keep it going,
keep it going, keep it going.
'First-time mother Candice has now
been pushing for ten minutes.'
Ohhh, pressure!
Then push it away, darling.
You've got to push it away.
You've got to push it away.
Push it away. Get this baby out.
That's it.
That's it, that's really good.
Keep that going, keep that going,
keep that going, keep that going,
keep it going.
Snatch a breath for me.
I can't do it. You can. You can.
Ohhh. Honestly, you can.
I'm tired. Mm-hm.
'After three miscarriages
in the last two years,
'her and husband Marco
are expecting a baby boy.'
Deep breath in. Really fill
your whole lungs, fill them up,
hold it, and push into your bottom.
It's not easy.
I know what to do because I've told
ladies a million times. Yeah.
This is the first time. It's gonna
take a while to get used to where
you need to direct those pushes.
Honestly, you're doing fabulous.
I go in and I can feel your baby's
head is just sitting there now.
Just needs to be a bit longer, OK?
That was fantastic.
Bit longer now, OK? I've got this
Then use it. Deep breath in.
Push, push, push, push, push, push.
It can be difficult when ladies
are in the final stages of labour
and they get into the stages
where they're pushing
and they're tired, they're
exhausted. It's the last little
hurdle they need to get over.
We sometimes get
other midwives coming in
just as a fresh pair of eyes
and to help us, really,
as another encouraging voice.
The last couple of pushes were
better. We just need to get them
lasting a bit longer.
Go with that pressure and that
will just This is where you get
to meet your baby. I'm so sorry.
Why are you saying sorry? Because
I'm just not pushing properly.
You've done brilliantly,
haven't you?
It is like a cheerleading
sort of thing and we have to
encourage them and spur them on.
Deep breath in again.
You're a team at the end of the day.
Although she's the one going through
it all, we're there to help her
every step of the way.
..two three.
BREATHES DEEPLY That's it.
Push right down. That's it.
That's it. Keep it going,
keep it going, keep it going, keep
it going, keep it going. Beautiful.
Big breath in. And again.
And again. Go on.
Again. Come on, you can do it.
Come on.
That's it, that's it.
Keep it going, keep it going,
keep it going, keep it going.
Yep, that's it. Go for it.
OK, come on.
Yeah, you can do it, come on!
One two three.
Go. Go for it. Go for it. That's it.
Keep it going, keep it going,
keep it going, keep it going.
OK. You're doing this.
You'll see your baby in a minute.
Remember your breathing, babe.
That's it.
Come on, babe, he's nearly there.
That's it. Come on, it's nearly
there! You can do this.
That's it. Brilliant. Brilliant.
Keep it going.
OK, now breathe for me. Breathe.
Pant. Pant. Pant.
Pant. OK. Relax.
We're gonna do the whole baby. OK.
Alright, he's there, he's there,
he's there, he's there.
Aghhh! There we go. Could you grab
me a towel? Oh, my God! There he is.
'After an hour of pushing,
their baby son is born.'
Oh, is he alright? Yes!
BABY CRIES
Oh! My boy!
Ohh. Oh, that must be scary.
BABY CRIES
Oh, he's beautiful. Ohh.
BABY CRIES
Mummy's here. I'm just gonna
feel your tummy, alright? OK.
BABY CRIES
You don't really appreciate
what women go through until
you're actually in amongst it.
It was pretty horrific.
In a good way. Lovely. Beautiful.
But, yeah, it's pretty hardcore.
Yeah.
Come and say hello. Ohh. I'm scared.
No, you don't need to be scared.
It's your little man.
BABY CRIES
That's your baby.
Good boy.
Oh, I can't believe you're real.
MIDWIFE LAUGHS
You're really here.
Candice will be an amazing mum.
There's not a doubt in my mind.
It's just
she was born to be a mother.
Is that alright, that one? I don't
know. Yes, that's fine. Just
anything to keep his Aghhh.
Let me put that on him. Hello, boy.
Oops. Yeah, you're here.
You're here, beautiful.
Is that alright? Yeah. Sorry. OK.
BABY CRIES
There we go. Put your hat on you.
It's amazing. We've waited
a long time for him to be here.
It's a long time coming.
It's what I've always wanted.
Here we go!
BABY CRIES
Shh, shh, shh, shh.
He's beautiful, darling.
The light at the end of the tunnel
is now, we're here, and he's here
and he's healthy and
Yeah, all the worry was worth it.
BABY CRIES Yeah, I know.
Yeah, I know.
Morning. Morning.
'Emma is back on shift.
'Today she's working
on the post-natal ward,
'checking in on the new mums
and their babies.'
Do you need anything?
No. I've got everything.
If your mum goes home and he starts
screaming, press that buzzer
THEY LAUGH
..and I will come running.
What's really apparent,
having had kids myself
and kind of watching so many women
have children whilst I've been here,
is that, you know,
the role of a midwife or an MCA,
it doesn't end
when the baby's arrived.
It's a full circle of support.
'Recovering on the ward
is mum Candice'
BABY GRUMBLES
'..who gave birth to Franco
just eight hours ago.'
Knock-knock. Hello.
Are you Candice? Yeah.
How are you? Good, thank you.
Good. How you getting on?
Yeah, really good.
And how's he doing?
Yeah, he's fine. He's super chilled.
He's been off and on the boob
since he was born this morning.
How was the birth? Didn't go at all
like I thought it would.
It felt like I was having
an out-of-body experience.
I keep thinking back on it and I was
like just like a crazy woman.
It's allowed.
SHE LAUGHS
The best plan, I always think,
is to have an open mind.
Have an idea, but be adjustable.
Yeah.
And are you OK? Yeah, I think
it'll just take a few days to
Yeah, sink in. Yeah.
It almost just doesn't feel real
at the moment.
I'm gonna have to leave
When I go, he's gonna stay here.
What do you mean?
No, I feel like he's not mine.
What? No, no, I feel like
Yeah, it's amazing.
He is very yours. Yeah.
Once you get home
and you're up all night,
it soon kicks in that it's real.
Yeah, he's ours.
And that he's not going anywhere.
Are you gonna keep Mummy up
at night?
He's lovely. I like his little hat
that matches his babygrow.
And this muslin's nice, as well.
You've got it all going on. Yeah.
SHE LAUGHS
Do you need anything? No,
I'm alright at the minute, I think.
Yeah? Yeah. Give us a buzz
if you do. OK? Thank you.
I'll see you later. Bye! Bye-bye!
I think birth is the only true
wonder of the world.
It's amazing.
From the minute of conception
to the minute
they pass their driving test.
What an amazing little adventure
it is.
'Last year, TV presenter
and mother-of-three Emma Willis
'spent ten weeks
working on the front line
'of the Princess Alexandra
Hospital's maternity unit.'
Well done!
It's something I always,
always wanted to do, and thank you
for letting me live it.
'Now Emma is returning
to finish her training'
You've really got hooked with us,
haven't you? Yeah.
I love it! I love it!
'..to become a fully-qualified
maternity care assistant
'that could work in any hospital
in the country.'
I feel like
there's so much to learn.
'She'll be more independent'
Ah! You're one of us! It's real!
'..across high risk wards'
BABY CRIES
'..and in theatre.' Hello!
I just got a bit broody
for a second then.
'Supporting a dedicated team
of midwives'
That's it. That's really good.
Keep that going. Keep that going.
Push it away.
SHE YELLS Push it away.
Push. Push. Push. Push.
That's the one. That's the one.
'..Emma will share the pressures'
"Emergency team, please go
to the labour ward theatre."
'..the fears' I'm scared!
'..and the joys'
You're going to have a baby.
Oh! I love you, little lady!
'..of helping to bring new life'
Congratulations.
'..into the world.' Oh, my God!
BABY CRIES
I'm gonna be a wreck
by the end of this.
PHONE RINGS
Good morning, birthing unit,
how may I help?
'It's the start of another
eight-hour shift for Emma
'at the Princess Alexandra Hospital
in Essex.'
Emma, this lady's coming in for
elective caesarean section. I've
called her. She's on her way. Yep.
When she comes,
would you do a full set of obs
Yep including resps. Yep.
'Today, Emma's working
with the elective caesarean team.'
One round her ankle
and one round her wrist. Yeah.
'Working alongside midwife Wendy,
'she'll be conducting observations
on the women coming in for surgery.'
You don't need to worry.
It's all in hand.
SHE LAUGHS
I'm sure it is.
THEY LAUGH
Who have you got with you today?
I'm on my own for now.
Steve's just doing the school run
and then he's coming straight up.
See, that's what I've done
with my husband. Yeah.
Come on down. Is that alright? Yes.
'34-year-old mum-of-four Lauren is
booked in for surgery later today.'
I don't wanna do it
too tight for you.
'After previously undergoing
an emergency caesarean section,
'this time she has elected
to have one for the birth
of her fifth child.'
Do you know what you're having?
No. A surprise.
What have you got already?
Two girls, two boys. I'm never
gonna win, cos the girls want a girl
and the boys want a boy.
Really? Yeah. Oh, mine were
the opposite. Oh, really? Yeah.
My girl wanted to be the only girl.
Yeah.
And my son,
he wanted to have another sister.
'As part of the pre-surgery
observations, Emma is checking
Lauren's blood pressure.'
Everything will be high
cos I'm a bit nervous.
Really? It always is. Yeah.
Have you had high blood pressure?
Only when I come here.
SHE LAUGHS
It's fine at home. Just relax.
Soon you'll have another one
to add to your lovely list. Mm.
I'll calm down later.
It'll be alright.
SHE LAUGHS
It's normal, though, isn't it?
Even though you've got
four children already,
you're still bringing another little
one into the world and it's
I know what's coming.
I've got three. What's the
difference between three and four?
Does it make much difference?
No. A bigger car. A bigger car!
MONITOR BEEPS
Just relax.
I'll come back in two secs. OK.
'Emma's readings have shown
that Lauren's blood pressure
is significantly high.'
It probably is that.
But that is, yeah, quite high.
'So Emma will have to conduct
further tests
'to see if it's safe for Lauren
to have surgery today.'
Emma, if we take
some bloods from her.
"We" like me or you? Er you.
SHE LAUGHS
I haven't taken any
since I've been back.
I feel like my blood pressure's
just gone like hers.
SHE LAUGHS
I didn't expect to do bloods today.
You'll be alright.
EMMA SIGHS
I've just been asked to do manual
blood pressure, urine sample
and take blood.
It's only eight o'clock.
The only thing of those three things
I've done since I've been back
is blood pressure.
I haven't taken blood yet.
I haven't done the urine sample yet.
I'm just gonna smile and wave.
Fake it till you make it.
Purple. Group and save, is it? No.
Full blood count. Full blood count.
'Although Emma received ten hours
of blood training last year,
'it's been nine months
since she's taken blood.'
Shall I put this together now?
You can do, yeah.
Perfect.
Sharp scratch.
You've not got any flashback.
Yeah, you did. Look. See? Oh, yeah.
Fabulous. OK. Are you OK?
Yeah, fine. Am I hurting you?
And now pull it out? Yeah.
Oh, my God! I just did it!
SHE GASPS
Thank you!
SHE LAUGHS
It didn't hurt at all.
I did blood!
I feel like I could do a dance!
I'm so happy!
Hand them in.
Tell them you need them quickly?
I will ring the lab and tell them.
OK.
Now the ball is rolling
and I wanna keep doing it.
I'm not a needle ninja just yet.
But I feel like I have
huge potential in that area.
Thank you. Cheers.
'Mum Lauren must now wait to see
if she'll be cleared for surgery.'
When you're already
in a nervous or anxious mindset
going into something like that,
which she obviously is, it's gonna
raise your blood pressure.
So I think they just need her
to calm down.
This is baby number five. But it
doesn't matter how many you've had,
it's still a nervous experience.
You're still going into theatre,
you're still having major surgery,
and you still have a little bundle
that you want to come out safely.
BABY SNEEZES
'In any given week,
'around 85 women give birth on the
Princess Alexandra maternity unit.
'Some women start out
on the antenatal ward,
'where they wait
until their labour has progressed.'
SHE BREATHES DEEPLY
I think it moved.
'33-year-old Tamina
is ten days overdue
'with her first child, a daughter.'
Just need to do your pulse, honey.
'She's been induced and has been
on the antenatal ward for over
24 hours with her husband, Saeed.'
We got married last year.
There are only three women
in my life, my mum, my wife,
and my child, baby girl.
I've got some of her toys
ready at home already.
And even this afternoon,
I was just setting them in the line.
HE LAUGHS
So I'm just gonna feel your tummy
and put it on the monitor. I've got
cold hands so I do apologise.
No problem.
I've got a knee or something.
SHE LAUGHS
'Tamina is an accountant
and Saeed works at the hospital
as a doctor in the A&E department.'
Most of the people know me,
because I've been working here
for a few years now.
From the canteen,
I was there in the morning,
and they're like, "How is the baby?
Is the baby coming out yet?"
Which is exciting on one side.
On the other side, this labour
is going on for quite a while.
'Although Tamina
is having regular contractions,
'her labour hasn't progressed.
'So she's being moved
to the labour ward,
where she can be closely monitored.'
You've got a contraction.
Use your gas.
Are you happy if I examine you now,
see if we've made any progress
from breaking your waters?
'Tamina's being looked after
by 23-year-old Zoe,
'who qualified as a midwife
just 18 months ago.'
When I was 11, my mum had a baby.
And from then, I sort of said that
that's what I was gonna do,
I was gonna be a midwife.
Didn't know what it was
until I got on placement,
and thank goodness, I loved it.
Just the same as last time.
So you're feeling me touch,
cold jelly, lots of pressure. OK?
Tell me if you want me to stop
at any point.
It is like a big family.
Everyone is so caring
and friendly and supportive.
And I think it makes such
a difference to coming to work.
It makes it
You look forward to coming to work.
Use your gas now
so it's a bit more comfortable.
Well done. Just take
some nice deep breaths for me.
SHE INHALES
Well done. 'On examination, Zoe is
concerned with the baby's position.'
I'm not certain what part
of the baby I'm definitely feeling.
I know they scanned and they said
baby's head's down.
But I'm not sure if baby's slightly
wonky and we can feel an ear,
or slightly that way and we can
feel this part of baby's head. OK?
So I'm just gonna speak to the
doctor. Is that OK? I won't be long.
Yeah? Are you alright?
'Zoe calls the consultant
for a second opinion.
'But as a doctor, dad Saeed is well
aware of the potential dangers.'
'It's now down to consultant
Dr Elsandabisi
'to decide
whether it's safe for Tamina
to deliver her baby vaginally.'
Well done.
You're shaking. Is that the worry?
Have your gas and air
if you want to. OK.
So it shows that the baby's position
is an undeliverable presentation.
So it means that we cannot
deliver you vaginally.
It will have to be
a caesarean section.
OK, we'll get things going for you
as soon as possible now.
'After almost two days of labour,
'Tamina needs to be taken
to theatre to have her baby
by emergency caesarean section.'
'Once the surgeon reaches the
uterus, they have just 12 minutes
'to deliver the baby safely.
'But there's a complication.'
'The baby has moved
into a sideways position,
'making it difficult to be
manoeuvred out of the uterus.'
It's a hand. It's a hand.
'A dangerous occurrence,
only seen in one in 300 cases.'
'Two minutes on,
'the situation has become
life-threatening for the baby.'
Hayley, get a gown and gloves
ready for him.
'In theatre, first-time mum Tamina
'is giving birth
by emergency caesarean section.'
'But the baby has unexpectedly moved
into a sideways position
'and is stuck in the uterus.'
'Midwife Zoe has called
the consultant obstetrician.'
'And it's now down to him
to help save the baby's life.'
We see emergencies a lot.
Sometimes there's ways around it,
so there's other things
that we can do.
But when it's a situation
that the team haven't seen before,
can't deal with alone,
that's when we call
the most senior doctor on shift.
In some situations,
that is our only option.
'In the case
of a sideways presentation,
'the consultant
needs to locate the feet
and bring the baby out backwards.'
'45 seconds later,
a baby girl is finally born.'
The baby's out.
'But she's unresponsive.'
"Neonatal emergency team, please go
to the labour ward theatre.
"Neonatal emergency team,
"please go to
the labour ward theatre."
'The baby is not breathing,
'so the emergency team
have been called.'
INDISTINCT CHATTER
Check the heartbeat again, please.
Yep. At one minute.
I'm doing it. I'm doing it.
'The team start immediate
resuscitation on the baby.'
More than 100. More than 100?
Yes, more than 100.
'After three minutes
of respiratory support,
'the baby is breathing on her own.'
BABY GURGLES
BABY GURGLES
BABY CRIES
Thank you. Hello!
SHE LAUGHS
'It's midwife Zoe's job to introduce
the baby to her parents.'
Do you want to meet your baby girl?
SHE LAUGHS
She's absolutely fine.
She was just very shocked.
SHE SOBS
Those three minutes
was like three years to me.
I was just looking at the clock
going tick, tick, tick.
And then suddenly a cry.
It was a noise coming from heaven.
HE LAUGHS
'Whilst Tamina remains in theatre
to be stitched up,
'dad Saeed spends some time
with his daughter.'
Hello, Daddy.
WOMAN LAUGHS
I used to think
I've got a strong nerve.
But I was wrong.
Happy.
Excited.
'Not all caesarean sections
are carried out
in an emergency situation.'
Two, four, six.
'Every year at the hospital,
around 600 women elect
to have their baby in theatre.
'Today, Emma is assisting the team
as they prepare for
the next planned operation.'
So it's a warmer, a radiant warmer,
but it also obviously is resus. It's
got oxygen. It's got suction. Yeah.
Just power on. It's just there.
MACHINE BEEPS
'Although Emma has helped during
caesarean sections before'
Is it an automatic setting? Yep. You
turn it on to go to pre-warm? Yep.
'..this is the first time
she will be the only maternity
care assistant in theatre.'
And then I've done my checks already
to make sure my settings
are all correct. Yeah.
So normally,
with the maternity care assistants,
we normally ask you to just switch
it on for us, so it can start
warming up. Yeah. Alright?
Great. So everything's set.
Absolutely. Right, this is Claire.
Hi again.
THEY LAUGH
How are you?
I'm good. You? Yeah, good.
Right. I'm gonna let you
mainly be the circulator today.
Don't do that. I'll be with you.
Like this? Together? Yes. Literally.
I'm gonna be stuck to you. Good.
You're gonna boss me around.
Well, in a nice way, yes.
'Emma will be working alongside
the theatre support worker, Claire.'
Ah! You're one of us!
It's real! Yeah!
I want to feel like I can contribute
and do something.
I think it's about building
my confidence in theatre
and having
a little bit more responsibility.
I don't want it all now.
I want it when I deserve it.
But I definitely want it this time.
Does it hurt your back? Yeah.
'34-year-old mum of four Lauren is
booked in for the next operation.'
Come on. Come on, baby.
'Following earlier blood tests,
she's now been given the all-clear
'to have her elective
caesarean section.'
Relax. Remember your pulse being up.
I know. I know. Yeah.
It's all good. It's all fine.
We'll see this baby in a bit. OK.
Don't worry. Thank you.
'Lauren's husband, Steve,
has arrived to support her for
the birth of their fifth child.'
Have you had breakfast? Sit down.
We've got four children already.
Lily, Alfie, Daisy and Freddie.
I think we were happy with one.
We were delighted with two.
We were ecstatic with three.
Super happy with four.
And five's just gonna be amazing.
Hi. Hello!
I don't wanna miss it, so
THEY LAUGH
'Four hours after arriving
at the hospital,
'it's time for Lauren to go into
theatre, accompanied by Emma.'
We're matching. We are matching.
I have no idea whether it's gonna be
a boy or a girl.
But the pattern's worked out that
it's been girl, boy, girl, boy,
so if that patterns continues,
it will be a girl.
But, erm, we'll see what happens.
You alright? Yeah, fine, yeah.
'Lauren has had two previous
caesarean sections,
'so is aware that she is undergoing
major abdominal surgery.'
Just don't let me bleed to death,
that's all. Yeah.
She's very anxious, yeah.
Not in life.
No. She worries about the children,
yeah, not about herself at all.
She worries about the children.
My job in theatre will be mainly
to keep Lauren calm and composed.
She'll be panicking a lot,
she'll be saying things like,
"Is it OK? Is it OK?"
And obviously,
I won't know the answer to that.
But I will reassure her.
It's alright, Lauren. It's fine.
SHE SOBS
Everyone's here. I'm really scared.
There's nothing to be scared about,
alright? It's OK. Alright?
All the right people are here.
It's the safest place for you to be.
Nothing's gonna go wrong. Everyone's
here and they'll look after you.
Don't worry about it. Alright?
Nothing to worry about.
'Lauren will have
a spinal anaesthetic
'and remain behind a screen
for the procedure.'
Well done, babes. First bit done.
Literally half an hour
and it'll all be done.
Alright? Literally half an hour.
Green-Armytage? Two, four, six.
'Today, for the first time,
'Emma is the only maternity care
assistant in theatre.'
Spencer Wells? Two, four,
six, eight.
'She's working alongside
scrub nurse Pam
'and theatre support worker Claire
'as they prepare for 34-year-old
Lauren's operation.'
Everything's planned.
Everyone knows what they're doing.
They've done it a million times
before. Completely under control.
Alright? Nothing to worry about
at all. Nothing to worry about.
'She's being looked after
by her husband, Steve.'
Your blood pressure's fine.
Blood pressure's fine.
You've been given all the medicine
you need. I'm just gonna do some
final checks before we start.
It's all standard procedure, OK?
Nothing to worry about. Yep.
You can't touch it.
So then they can pull it in,
move it about. Yeah.
Try and relax. Just relax.
Just don't panic. Just don't panic.
In this one? Yep.
'Unlike an emergency,
with a planned caesarean section,
'the team can take their time
in theatre.'
Yeah?
OK.
Knife, please.
Nearly there. Baby's coming out.
Ready? Yeah.
Hello!
'Just 40 minutes
after arriving in theatre,
'Lauren and Steve's fifth baby
is born.'
What is it?
BABY CRIES
'And it's Emma's job
to record the time of birth.'
BABY CRIES
It's a girl. It's a girl? Aww!
Congratulations.
I'll dry her off and bring her back,
alright?
Thank you.
BABY CRIES
Here's your daddy!
Let's turn that light off
Oh, gooey, isn't she?
..so you can see her better.
She can open her eyes.
BABY CRIES
Alright. There's Daddy! Look!
Alright. I know.
I know. Right, come this side.
It's OK. It's OK.
BABY CRIES
Congratulations. It's OK.
Did it follow the pattern? Pardon?
Did it follow the patter?
Yeah, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl.
BABY CRIES
It's OK. It's OK.
That's it, well done.
I'll take those.
BABY CRIES
I'll just take her over to Mum, just
to make sure she's good. Thank you.
You come over, as well.
Say thank you.
Say, "Thank you, Dr Ali."
Oh, such a beautiful smile!
THEY LAUGH
Oh, that's OK. Hello!
Oh, my God.
Oh, my girlie.
She's perfect. Is she breathing
alright? She's fine.
Well done. She's lovely.
How much does she weigh?
I haven't weighed her yet
cos I could hear you asking for her,
so we just cut her cord
and brought her to you.
She's perfect.
She's having a snooze now.
Well done.
You've done amazing again.
I can't believe this was just inside
me. Like, it's mad, isn't it? Yeah.
It's crazy.
It sounds cheesy,
but it is love at first sight.
You can't put it into words.
It's an individual
you've only met for a few seconds
but you're completely in love.
The best feeling in the world.
She's so gorgeous.
Are you OK, Lauren? Are you OK?
Yeah.
I just can't believe
that she's here.
I got a bit broody for a second
then. I had to step away.
Maybe I could have four.
'As Lauren is taken to recovery'
Thank you very much.
Thanks for all your help.
'..Emma needs to carry out
the post-operative checks
'as she finishes up her first shift
in theatre as the sole MCA.'
One, two, three, four,
one in use, five.
It was nice this time because I felt
like I could actually do something.
The first two or three
that I've been in,
I've felt like I've been observing,
which is absolutely
the right thing to do,
but I kind of wanna be in there
and helpful,
rather than being in there
and just watching.
Toothed and untoothed.
Button crusher. Button crusher.
Forceps, Wrigley's forceps.
Wrigley's. Thank you.
I've never put a diathermy patch on
and plugged it in before.
That was a first. Tick.
I've never plugged those little leg,
erm, massagey things I should
really learn the names of things.
Lovely. I hope you really enjoyed
this morning. I did, loved it.
Cos you did a lot more, didn't you?
It felt weird saying that list out.
No! No, you did really, really well.
Thanks. Hopefully Again.
Again! Why not?
I love theatre.
It terrified me
last time I was here.
But the more times I'm in there,
the more I feel more comfortable
with what I might get asked to do,
so, er, more time in theatre
would be lovely.
What should we call the baby?
Do you feel a bit weird? Yeah.
What shall we call her? I don't
know. What are we thinking, Violet?
Violet or Petal. Petal.
'Just four hours since Lauren's
elected caesarean section,
'her four other children
have arrived
'and are meeting their new sister
for the first time.'
Freddie, what do you think?
I think Violet.
You think Violet? You like Violet,
do you? Violet or Primrose.
Today's been absolutely magical.
Couldn't have gone more perfect.
We've got a perfect young girl
joining our family.
Mum, literally everybody says
at school,
"Has she had the baby yet?
Has she had the baby?" I was like,
"No, might be Saturday."
So I was like,
"I should just put a letter out."
THEY LAUGH
You'll have to go in with a big sign
on Monday. "She's a girl!"
Having a fifth child, it will
obviously make things different,
but all four children at the moment,
they all bring something different
to the table,
and they all love each other so
much, and I just can't wait to see
the fifth one grow up and develop
her own unique personality
and see how she interacts
with her brothers and sisters.
I'm really excited by it
and I can't wait to see it happen.
Easy life, this one, isn't it? Mm.
He's normally quiet this time.
He's not a morning baby.
HE LAUGHS
'On the antenatal ward,
a new couple has arrived,
'35-year-old charity worker Candice
and her husband, Marco.'
HEARTBEAT THUMPS
Just having a little rest,
little chill out.
It must be quite scary,
cos all of a sudden,
you're being pushed,
like, pushed out. Yeah.
He doesn't know it's gonna happen.
No.
'The couple are expecting
a baby boy.
'Candice is one day overdue
'and is in the first stage
of labour.'
I secretly hoped that
when she put this on there,
there'd be loads of contractions
and I'm just really, really strong
and I didn't feel any of them.
No, you're gonna feel
every little bit, and so am I.
It's gonna be a joint experience,
I'm sure.
We met at a festival in Croatia.
Candice actually had a seagull
on her head on the dance floor.
We stayed in touch for about
seven years we were friends for.
One day, I invited her round
for dinner, and it sort of
evolved from there, really.
I think she moved in
about three weeks later.
HE LAUGHS
So, yeah, life's amazing.
I'm blessed to have her in it.
Married, child on the way,
life's good.
This is the next stage, really,
isn't it? Exciting.
I'm definitely not gonna be looking
at the business end, anyway,
when he comes out, that's for sure.
You can't decide that yet.
Who can't?
In the moment, you might
No, I'll be standing behind you,
stroking your brow.
HE LAUGHS That's not for me.
I can't wait. It's something
I've always wanted, all my life,
and I thought I'd be a parent in
my early 20s and it never happened,
so, yeah, I'm 45 now,
the oldest dad in town.
HE LAUGHS
Yeah. So exciting times, yeah.
Hello. Hi, Lucy. Are you OK? Yeah.
Are you feeling these movements OK?
I'm not really feeling
I'm not feeling much.
'Candice previously had three
unsuccessful pregnancies,
'so she's being closely monitored
by midwife Lucy.'
Are you feeling any sort of
tightenings or anything? No.
When I sat down earlier, I was quite
tight, but while I've been lying
here, I haven't felt anything.
Doesn't feel that tight, actually.
It feels nice and soft.
We was trying to get pregnant
for quite a while, to be honest.
We had three losses along the way,
which was
..which wasn't very nice,
to be honest.
Cos it was something
we both really wanted.
For us, it was very difficult.
That's fine. Just little niggles
at the minute. So
But everything looks OK on there?
Absolutely. Brilliant. OK.
So we can move around now?
Act like your normal self now.
Walk around as normal, go and get
some fresh air, go to the canteen.
Just come back if you notice
anything with the movements or pain
or anything like that,
anything abnormal. Yeah, yeah.
But that is all good for now.
And everything's fine?
Absolutely. Looks lovely on there.
So just give us a shout if there's
any changes or you're worried.
Yeah, yeah. Alright, I'll be back.
OK. See you. Thank you.
We've just been very nervous
and very cautious of everything
we've done cos of the losses.
In the back of your mind, you always
think it's gonna happen again.
And you want it so bad.
It's just a worry
that's always hanging over you.
So, yeah, it's been, er
it's been difficult,
very upsetting for both of us.
I'm never doing this again. Ohh!
You've gone through so much already.
So this is the last little bit,
babe.
SHE GROANS
Then you'll be able to hold him.
'13 hours later,
'Candice is almost fully dilated
and is now being looked after
'by newly-qualified midwife
Charlie.'
Honestly,
this is the last little stretch.
You're doing fantastic.
You're doing so well.
CANDICE SOBS
When ladies go from being in labour
to transitioning
into the stage
where they're fully dilated
and going to birth their baby,
they become a bit disheartened,
and that's something
that us as midwives
are trained to look out for.
It's called the transitional stage
and it's the hardest part.
It's just sitting there!
Yeah, but this is it.
Just get it out!
SHE SOBS
I just want it to finish now!
I've had enough!
You're so, so close. Honestly.
When ladies say,
"I can't do it any more,"
the first thing that clicks
in my head is, "She's probably
gonna have a baby soon."
SHE SOBS
Calm, calm, calm, calm. Ow.
Darling, you're so, so close
and you've done fantastic, OK?
SHE YELLS
That's it, push right down
into your bottom. Keep it going
for as long as you can.
Keep it going, keep it going,
keep it going, keep it going.
'First-time mother Candice has now
been pushing for ten minutes.'
Ohhh, pressure!
Then push it away, darling.
You've got to push it away.
You've got to push it away.
Push it away. Get this baby out.
That's it.
That's it, that's really good.
Keep that going, keep that going,
keep that going, keep that going,
keep it going.
Snatch a breath for me.
I can't do it. You can. You can.
Ohhh. Honestly, you can.
I'm tired. Mm-hm.
'After three miscarriages
in the last two years,
'her and husband Marco
are expecting a baby boy.'
Deep breath in. Really fill
your whole lungs, fill them up,
hold it, and push into your bottom.
It's not easy.
I know what to do because I've told
ladies a million times. Yeah.
This is the first time. It's gonna
take a while to get used to where
you need to direct those pushes.
Honestly, you're doing fabulous.
I go in and I can feel your baby's
head is just sitting there now.
Just needs to be a bit longer, OK?
That was fantastic.
Bit longer now, OK? I've got this
Then use it. Deep breath in.
Push, push, push, push, push, push.
It can be difficult when ladies
are in the final stages of labour
and they get into the stages
where they're pushing
and they're tired, they're
exhausted. It's the last little
hurdle they need to get over.
We sometimes get
other midwives coming in
just as a fresh pair of eyes
and to help us, really,
as another encouraging voice.
The last couple of pushes were
better. We just need to get them
lasting a bit longer.
Go with that pressure and that
will just This is where you get
to meet your baby. I'm so sorry.
Why are you saying sorry? Because
I'm just not pushing properly.
You've done brilliantly,
haven't you?
It is like a cheerleading
sort of thing and we have to
encourage them and spur them on.
Deep breath in again.
You're a team at the end of the day.
Although she's the one going through
it all, we're there to help her
every step of the way.
..two three.
BREATHES DEEPLY That's it.
Push right down. That's it.
That's it. Keep it going,
keep it going, keep it going, keep
it going, keep it going. Beautiful.
Big breath in. And again.
And again. Go on.
Again. Come on, you can do it.
Come on.
That's it, that's it.
Keep it going, keep it going,
keep it going, keep it going.
Yep, that's it. Go for it.
OK, come on.
Yeah, you can do it, come on!
One two three.
Go. Go for it. Go for it. That's it.
Keep it going, keep it going,
keep it going, keep it going.
OK. You're doing this.
You'll see your baby in a minute.
Remember your breathing, babe.
That's it.
Come on, babe, he's nearly there.
That's it. Come on, it's nearly
there! You can do this.
That's it. Brilliant. Brilliant.
Keep it going.
OK, now breathe for me. Breathe.
Pant. Pant. Pant.
Pant. OK. Relax.
We're gonna do the whole baby. OK.
Alright, he's there, he's there,
he's there, he's there.
Aghhh! There we go. Could you grab
me a towel? Oh, my God! There he is.
'After an hour of pushing,
their baby son is born.'
Oh, is he alright? Yes!
BABY CRIES
Oh! My boy!
Ohh. Oh, that must be scary.
BABY CRIES
Oh, he's beautiful. Ohh.
BABY CRIES
Mummy's here. I'm just gonna
feel your tummy, alright? OK.
BABY CRIES
You don't really appreciate
what women go through until
you're actually in amongst it.
It was pretty horrific.
In a good way. Lovely. Beautiful.
But, yeah, it's pretty hardcore.
Yeah.
Come and say hello. Ohh. I'm scared.
No, you don't need to be scared.
It's your little man.
BABY CRIES
That's your baby.
Good boy.
Oh, I can't believe you're real.
MIDWIFE LAUGHS
You're really here.
Candice will be an amazing mum.
There's not a doubt in my mind.
It's just
she was born to be a mother.
Is that alright, that one? I don't
know. Yes, that's fine. Just
anything to keep his Aghhh.
Let me put that on him. Hello, boy.
Oops. Yeah, you're here.
You're here, beautiful.
Is that alright? Yeah. Sorry. OK.
BABY CRIES
There we go. Put your hat on you.
It's amazing. We've waited
a long time for him to be here.
It's a long time coming.
It's what I've always wanted.
Here we go!
BABY CRIES
Shh, shh, shh, shh.
He's beautiful, darling.
The light at the end of the tunnel
is now, we're here, and he's here
and he's healthy and
Yeah, all the worry was worth it.
BABY CRIES Yeah, I know.
Yeah, I know.
Morning. Morning.
'Emma is back on shift.
'Today she's working
on the post-natal ward,
'checking in on the new mums
and their babies.'
Do you need anything?
No. I've got everything.
If your mum goes home and he starts
screaming, press that buzzer
THEY LAUGH
..and I will come running.
What's really apparent,
having had kids myself
and kind of watching so many women
have children whilst I've been here,
is that, you know,
the role of a midwife or an MCA,
it doesn't end
when the baby's arrived.
It's a full circle of support.
'Recovering on the ward
is mum Candice'
BABY GRUMBLES
'..who gave birth to Franco
just eight hours ago.'
Knock-knock. Hello.
Are you Candice? Yeah.
How are you? Good, thank you.
Good. How you getting on?
Yeah, really good.
And how's he doing?
Yeah, he's fine. He's super chilled.
He's been off and on the boob
since he was born this morning.
How was the birth? Didn't go at all
like I thought it would.
It felt like I was having
an out-of-body experience.
I keep thinking back on it and I was
like just like a crazy woman.
It's allowed.
SHE LAUGHS
The best plan, I always think,
is to have an open mind.
Have an idea, but be adjustable.
Yeah.
And are you OK? Yeah, I think
it'll just take a few days to
Yeah, sink in. Yeah.
It almost just doesn't feel real
at the moment.
I'm gonna have to leave
When I go, he's gonna stay here.
What do you mean?
No, I feel like he's not mine.
What? No, no, I feel like
Yeah, it's amazing.
He is very yours. Yeah.
Once you get home
and you're up all night,
it soon kicks in that it's real.
Yeah, he's ours.
And that he's not going anywhere.
Are you gonna keep Mummy up
at night?
He's lovely. I like his little hat
that matches his babygrow.
And this muslin's nice, as well.
You've got it all going on. Yeah.
SHE LAUGHS
Do you need anything? No,
I'm alright at the minute, I think.
Yeah? Yeah. Give us a buzz
if you do. OK? Thank you.
I'll see you later. Bye! Bye-bye!
I think birth is the only true
wonder of the world.
It's amazing.
From the minute of conception
to the minute
they pass their driving test.
What an amazing little adventure
it is.