Emma takes baby steps
PICK OF THE DAY
DELIVERING BABIES W, 10pm
IMAGINE that you are in the throes of labour and in walks Emma Willis. Or as she likes to put it: “Some joker from the telly”. That was a reality for some women giving birth at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Essex during Emma’s 10-week stint on the maternity ward. But fortunately they generally concluded that she was “pretty normal”.
In this heartwarming series, the Big Brother and The Voice UK presenter has been given the opportunity to work as a Maternity Care Assistant, supporting a hardworking team of midwives.
The mum of three has been in awe of midwives ever since her first daughter was born, and as her mum Cathy was a hospital theatre assistant, she always imagined she’d end up working in a hospital.
Well now’s her chance, but with 13-hour shifts on your feet all day, it’s in at the deep end for Emma.
Head of midwifery Jacqui says: “She will be expected to do exactly what everyone else is doing and will be part of the team. No special treatment.”
After putting her uniform on it’s straight to work with plenty of scrubbing, making tea and learning how to do baby checks. “My biggest fear is that I will fail,” Emma admits.
But as Emma goes on to meet expectant mums, she is genuinely thrilled to be there, cooing over the babies, making the mums comfortable and eventually sobbing at the births.
“Midwives are incredible human beings,” she says. “They do not get the credit they deserve.”