Last year television presenter and mother of three, Emma Willis, spent 10 weeks working on the frontline of a busy maternity unit.
Over the course of 16 weeks she will immerse herself in the role, supporting the hospital’s charismatic midwife team. She will learn, once again, that no two births are the same and that every mother and a father-to-be has their own remarkable story to tell.
As Emma’s training and development progresses, she’ll be asked to become more independent. She’ll be the only MCA in theatre during caesarean sections, she’ll need to take blood on her own and be comfortable assisting in emergency situations.
Emma will also work on the hospital’s Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit, which cares for critically ill babies. Here she’ll meet parents and their babies who need intensive, high dependency and special care.
From elective caesarean sections to natural births, complicated theatre procedures to water births Emma will share the pressures, the fears and the joys of bringing new life into the world.
Today is her first day back after a nine month break and once Emma steps on to the ward, she worries about settling back in and remembering all her training. After a swift debrief, Emma is put straight to work; doing baby checks on new born twin boys.
Meanwhile on the Labour Ward, pregnant mother of four Vicky has been brought in overnight with worrying symptoms. Her unborn twins could be in danger and the medical team decide on an emergency caesarean section. Vicky is under the care of experienced midwife Tilly. Although the twins are five weeks premature, they are born healthy, which is overwhelming for first time dad Owen.
In the ante natal ward of the hospital, midwife Liz is looking after Paige who is expecting her second child, but her pregnancy is far from straightforward. The hospital team decide to induce labour at 37 weeks and although Paige delivers the baby safely, the emergency that follows for both Paige and her new-born tests the medical team’s fast responses.
Emma Willis: Delivering Babies is due on the 5th August, 10pm on W