Our Ace new baby by TV’s Charley
EMMERDALE stars Charley Webb and Matthew Wolfenden proudly show off baby son Ace Gene in an exclusive photoshoot.
But the couple, who already have two sons together, revealed in this week’s OK! magazine that the birth had frightening complications.
Charley, 31 – Debbie Dingle in the ITV soap – said: “The umbilical cord was wrapped around Ace’s neck when he was born. It came off and he was passed to me but I could tell something was wrong.
“Ace wasn’t breathing at first – so the midwife had to press the panic button.”
Matthew, 39, added: “She said he’d cough and splutter, but he didn’t, so she had Ace on his front and was rubbing his back.
“Eventually – and it felt like an hour but it was probably just seconds – he coughed and was fine. By the time someone had come through the door from the panic button being pressed, Ace was breathing again, so it couldn’t have been long. Although it felt like a lifetime.”
The actor, who plays Emmerdale’s David Metcalfe, admitted: “After I knew Ace was okay and breathing, I nearly threw up from the panic.
“I’d been so worried in those moments.” Ace was a healthy 8lb 3oz when he arrived on July 26. But the couple had his stem cells removed from his umbilical cord in case he falls ill in the future.
Charley added: “I think more people should do it as it could save lives.”
Ace was later welcomed into the family by brothers Buster, nine and Bowie, three.
•The exclusive photoshoot is in this week’s OK! magazine, which goes on sale today.