Call the Midwife

'Each life is a journey

'defined by the turns we take and the roads we choose

'or which fate chooses for us.'

- Morning, Mr Chen. - Morning, Miss Gilbert.

'Some travel geographically, trading home for home,

'and one language for another.

'But we all move from youth to maturity,

'childhood to parenthood, as if we were traversing continents.

'The world shifts and the climate alters.

'Safe passage cannot be bought

'and we have no holy passport to protect us.'

It will be your turn very soon, Mr Chen.

'And so we venture forward, fragile maps in hand

'flying our banners of courage and of hope.'

Oh, dear, Patrick

- Good morning, Dr Turner. - Good morning, Sister.

Erm, I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me --

I'm on my way to a meeting.

I imagine that would be the meeting at the Board Of Health.

About Mr Powell's new Hospital Plan.

Yes, it is.

There are interesting implications for our district, I suspect.

Which is why I've decided that I ought to attend.

Well, I imagine you'd like a lift, Sister.

Thank you. That would be appreciated.

Well? Do we pass the test?

Approved for home birth.

Thanks, Nurse. See, Ma, I told you she was nice.

Nurse Gilbert's from Liverpool like me.

We have to talk about your plan for afterwards, once baby's here.

After baby comes it's zuo yue zi.

It's the Chinese thing she wants me to do.

Zuo yue zi means "sitting the month".

It's confinement.

Me and the baby stuck in here for 30 days

with my mother-in-law looking after us.

You don't sound terribly keen.

It's just strange to me, that's all, Nurse. Me mam was English.

It's me dad who's Chinese and I've not seen him since I was five.

They deported him in '46.

That's awful.

Anyway, it's not how I was brought up.

But I've said I'll do it.

Well, so long as you're sure, we'll support you.

30 days is a very long time for bed rest, isn't it?

Proper hygiene after the birth though -- on that we must insist,

no matter what Mrs Chen Sr says.

We don't want any nasty infections.

I have a feeling that Mrs Chen Sr might be a bit of a handful.

I really hope Lucy can cope. That's my biggest worry, actually.

It's an awfully small flat.

Chinese customs are quite complicated.

I'm not sure Lucy feels particularly Chinese.

And that's at least part of the trouble.

- I hope I'm not late. - Not at all. Successful trip?

A couple of blouses, thank goodness.

Some of my clothes are barely decent now.

Including my uniform, which is rather embarrassing.

I also got this.

I wasn't going to buy anything yet.

It seemed like tempting fate. But it was so lovely.

And I gave away most of Angela's baby things.

You're almost halfway through, Shelagh.

You should be starting to prepare.

Enjoy it.

Oh, hello. How was your meeting?

Eventful. They're trying to close us down.

What?!

It appears that the new Hospital Plan For England And Wales

wants to move women away from small maternity homes like this one

- and into big general hospitals. - Oh, my goodness.

We're to be inspected, apparently, and then they decide our fate.

They can't shut us down, we're busy, there's obviously a need.

Enoch Powell thinks otherwise, as does Sister Ursula.

But we're not going down without a fight.

Shutting maternity homes across the country -- whatever next?

Only a man could think it's a good idea.

Quite apart from anything else,

it's going to lead to an increase in hospital births.

Hospital is the best environment if specialist help is required.

And, if it is not, a woman's home should be perfectly adequate.

With the greatest respect, Sister Ursula,

some of the homes in Poplar aren't adequate at all.

Exactly, Sister.

It's one of the reasons I opened the home in the first place.

And why it's still needed. Desperately.

So...

how long do we have and what are we going to do about it?

They haven't given us much notice, I'm afraid.

A little over a week.

But we have drawn up a plan of action.

The building itself needs some minor repairs,

so Fred will be seeing to all of that.

On his own time, I assume.

As you will see from the sheet, we are then going to gather as many

statistics on the maternity home as we can get our hands on and present

the inspector with black and white evidence of our achievements so far.

And how can we help?

Just keep doing exactly what you've been doing since the home opened.

Providing our mothers and babies with the very best care.

We are very short of staff at present, Mrs Turner.

There have been departures

and we still await the return of Nurse Franklin.

I'm afraid the maternity home cannot be our principle concern.

We too are under scrutiny.

I think she's done now.

Thank you, Mrs Evans.

You can come in now.

Morning, ladies.

It's this one here. The wheel keeps sticking.

Sorry, Mrs Collier, we'll try not to get in your way.

That's all right. I ain't going anywhere.

Any day now, Mrs Collier.

Well, it looks easy enough to fix, Mrs Turner.

Good. Thank you, Fred.

Right. Shall we see how that blood pressure is today?

You want to send that inspector in to me.

I'll tell him what I think of him.

Trying to get this place closed down.

I'm not sure that would do anyone's blood pressure much good, Mrs Collier.

This is much better, though.

135 over 85. Good for you.

Not in uniform today, Mrs Turner?

No. Not today.

Good morning, Sister. Are you looking for something?

May I help you?

No, thank you, Nurse Crane.

I am merely making some improvements to the roster.

And what improvements might those be, Sister Ursula?

I'm introducing a 20-minute time limit to all antenatal,

postnatal and district calls.

But, Sister, that's half the time we usually allow.

A 20-minute visit is ample time for checks and small procedures.

And it will enable each of you to see three extra patients in a day.

It may be ample time in a hospital situation, Sister,

but not in district practice, I'm afraid.

Perhaps you would find it useful to come out with us, Sister?

My role here is to ensure the running of Nonnatus House is efficient.

Sadly, I have personal experience of what happens to institutions

that are deemed otherwise.

20 minutes, please. It's for the best.

I'm going to get a frame for this.

Put me mam and dad up beside your picture of Cyril.

The baby can grow up seeing them all together

and work out who they look like.

Shall I get a new frame for this one too?

Going to fall to bits soon.

Nothing wrong with frame. Leave it.

Are you sure?

Oh, Ma. You kept a piece of his baby hair. That's lovely.

I'm going to do that too.

I said leave it. I will fix it.

I'm sorry, Sister, I realise this is an inopportune moment

but I must speak with you.

Of course. What is it?

This 20-minute ruling imposed on us by Sister Ursula

is completely impractical.

We are not machines and nor are our patients.

District practice has variables that precludes such a rigid approach.

We're treading a very fine line here.

I am not certain that Sister Ursula is altogether fit to be

making these decisions.

Nurse Crane...

Sister Ursula was matron at the Order's cottage hospital

when it was closed for inefficient practice.

She took it very badly, blaming herself entirely.

I see.

Sister Ursula's ways are different.

But we must support her and show willing.

Who knows? Maybe we'll all be surprised.

I hope you haven't put those out of alphabetical order.

Oh, no.

Every "i" on these records is going to be dotted and every "t" crossed.

Dad, have they really started closing places down?

Not here. Not yet. But we can't take anything for granted.

Sister Ursula was Matron at a Cottage Hospital that closed.

That might have been because of her.

I'm sure it was more complicated than that.

Mrs Henderson is on her way in.

I'll go and get her settled.

Oh, looks like I'll be on Beatrix Potter duty tonight, young lady.

And make sure it's Mrs Tiggy-Winkle or the Flopsy Bunnies.

No Squirrel Nutkin.

Shelagh. Shouldn't we call someone over from Nonnatus House?

I don't want you doing too much.

I'm in fine fettle, Patrick.

Besides, I don't want to give Sister Ursula the pleasure of saying no.

Can you wait, Nurse?

I'm really sorry but it'll get ruined.

It's me who should be sorry for being so late.

Oh, come and join us. Please. I've made plenty.

- Oh, er... - Let me take this.

All right. That's very kind.

I'll be late for my tea anyway.

What this?

Well, you're always complaining about me Chinese cooking,