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The Midwives

Series 2

Episode 8: Delivery on Demand

Duration: 1 hour

First broadcast: on BBC Two HDLatest broadcast: on BBC Two Northern Ireland

This episode revisits the midwives at Birmingham Women's Hospital, one of the country's busiest delivery units. With nearly 600 births a month and only 21 beds, it is a constant juggling act for the midwives coping with an increasing number of high risk mums.

Antoinette Connolly has been a midwife for over 20 years and specialises in multiple pregnancies. She is looking after Aman and Pete who are expecting triplets. It is a high-risk birth and Aman has been booked in for a c-section. As Antoinette helps prepare the theatre for the delivery with 'three of everything' it is evident what is at stake and how demanding it is on the maternity unit's resources.

Over on the induction bay midwife Lisa is looking after Audrey, another high-risk mum expecting her second baby. Lisa is concerned that Audrey's baby is showing signs of restricted growth and is monitoring the situation to see if they should bring on Audrey's labour sooner. Having had a difficult first birth resulting in an emergency c-section, Audrey is anxious to have a natural birth in her own time.

As the midwives juggle beds, another mum expecting triplets arrives. Midwife Antoinette shows Sarah around the delivery suite and explains the plan to help her deliver her three babies. Yet birth rarely goes to plan and when Sarah goes into labour in the early hours of the nightshift, it is all hands to the pump for the already swamped staff. Show less

Contributors

Series Producer:
Joanne Timoney
Executive Producer:
Spencer Kelly
Executive Producer:
Tom McDonald
Composer:
John Lemke
Colourist:
Liam Shanagher
Re-recording mixer:
Hannah Fairclough
Production Coordinator:
Nicola Hill
Production Manager:
Jackie McKinney-Dyer
Director:
Kate Walker
Producer:
Kate Walker

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