Emma Willis: Delivering Babies

On the 23rd of March 2020,

the UK went into lockdown following the Coronavirus outbreak.

You must stay at home,

so we can protect the NHS's ability

to cope and save more lives.

PHONE RINGS

And while the medics on the front line worked tirelessly to protect the nation...

Red. Yeah, she's red.

..maternity teams up and down

the country played an equally important role.

36.9.

The one thing that is an absolute definite is that

babies are going to keep being born.

You know, you can't stop childbirth during the pandemic.

In this extraordinary series, filmed during lockdown,

television presenter, mother of three

and fully qualified maternity care assistant, Emma Willis...

That's it. Well done.

..is going to find out just what it's like to be pregnant...

It's been a testing pregnancy, hasn't it?

..and give birth during these remarkable times.

Gloves and mask.

Reaching out to parents-to-be across the UK...

Hi. Oh, I can't hear you.

..she'll get to know them virtually...

Hello. How are you? Good, thank you.

How has lockdown been? Interesting.

..before asking them to turn the camera on themselves...

Right, let's get ready for the action.

..and share the stress.

I'm nervous, if I'm honest.

I found it really difficult to leave her.

I don't know why.

The drama...

SHE SQUEALS

Can you get me a resusitaire?

..and the wonder...

Oh, the joy of a cry.

..of bringing new life into the world in the midst of a pandemic.

She's perfect.

Look at your baby. Oh, my gosh.

Look at her little face.

And once restrictions are eased...

Hi!

..Emma will travel to meet the families in person...

She's beautiful. Hi, Harry.

..to find out how they are getting on.

Oh, hello.

I don't know what I'm more excited about, actually,

meeting a new baby or being out of the house.

Where are we and why are we here?

Well, we're in my house...

..because we are slap bang in the middle of lockdown...

..and we were meant to be filming series

three of Delivering Babies, but we're in the middle of a pandemic

and you can't do anything unnecessary,

especially sending a film crew into a hospital to film women

having babies.

Instead, Emma is connecting with families remotely

and the first couple happy to share their maternity journey have

sent a short introduction video.

Hi, I'm Chris.

I'm Nkateko known as Takkies.

And we're the Dinwiddys. Yay.

Takkies is a choreographer and content creator.

Her husband of three years, Chris, is in HR.

And we're having a Covid baby.

Exciting and scary all at the same time.

Obviously I am British.

I am from here originally but I spent ten years in South Africa.

Yes, and I am South African.

And so it starts. The journey.

Say, "I am going to London."

Takkies was two months pregnant when they left South Africa,

which made saying goodbye to her mum especially tough.

Say, "I love you."

Yes... Say, "See you soon."

Love you. Nana go bye.

I am leaving my family.

I'm leaving me.

This is me. This is, like, my whole life.

What Takkies and Chris could never have imagined was that,

just months after their move, they'd be in lockdown.

Got you! Got you!

Takkies is now nearly nine months pregnant,

and this will be her second child.

We have a toddler called Sana who is two and a half.

And, for me, I had a previous life

so I have two beautiful much older daughters.

And Takkies has plans for an even bigger family.

Guys, I want seven kids.

So you can just imagine how excited I am.

Two down for me. Four down for you.

And... five more to go, darling.

Ooh.

I got none in maths.

Under current social distancing guidelines, Chris isn't

allowed to go with Takkies to her antenatal hospital appointments.

See you on the other side.

Sorry you can't come. I will try and ask for a video.

With the baby's due date fast approaching, Emma wants to

find out how they are coping.

Hi.

Have you got your video turned on? Should do. I can't see you.

Hey.

Hi. How are you? Good, thanks.

How are you? I am so good.

How have you found pregnancy during a pandemic?

It is just so tough. I can't go out. I can't do much.

I really feel I have missed out because I haven't been to anything.

Like, I haven't been to scans

and I am not attending any midwife appointments.

I mean, listening to your baby's heartbeat,

and your husband or partner is not there, does not feel great at all.

How hard is it not having your mum here for this pregnancy?

Oh, it is so tough not having my mum here.

Because she's my best friend. She is my everything.

And with my first baby she was there all the time.

We planned to have Nkateko's mother come over. Yeah.

But we WhatsApp every day.

She checks up on me all the time.

So, yeah, we find ways.

And we try and stay positive to make the situation better. Yeah.

Well good luck with everything. Thank you so much, Emma. Thank you.

And I will speak to you really soon. OK. Awesome. Thank you.

Take care. Bye.

In hospitals across the country,

NHS staff are battling day and night

to keep desperately sick people breathing.

Your steadfast commitment to following the social

distancing rules is making a difference.

So please keep going.

In line with nationwide Coronavirus restrictions, partners are not

allowed on antenatal or postnatal wards,

and can only join the birth during the latter stages of labour.

The harsh reality is,

if you are a pregnant woman right now, you are going to be going

to hospital and you are going to be going on your own.

Walking up to the main entrance where they wait for me.

I am nervous, if I'm honest.

They are having scans by themselves.

They are going through early labour by themselves.

I'd feel vulnerable and lonely.

The panic would be real.

The worry would be real.

And as difficult and lonely as it is for the mums, it is tough

too for those left out in the cold.

Obviously with everything that is going on at the moment,

I have to stay in the car, which really isn't ideal, to be honest.

She is going to be there another 24 hours

and I found it really difficult to leave her.

I don't know why.

I just got really upset. It's mad.

Pretty annoying that I have to wait outside because of what's going on.

We're not allowed in. So she has to go in by herself.

So it is now just a waiting game.

Another couple expecting their second baby in a couple of weeks'

time are finding their own ways to escape the pressures of lockdown.

We've decided to go on a walk this morning,

up where we used to walk every day basically

when lockdown first started.

And we didn't even know it was here, at the back of where our house is.

We've made it to the top of the big, steep hill.

Chloe, look at the camera.

Administrator Katie is married to plumber Jay.

They live in East Sussex with two-year-old Chloe.

We already have a little girl called Chloe.

Excuse me. Good! Is it?

The lockdown's not been easy when Jay's been at work,

and I have been at home 24/7 with a two-year-old.

That's been fun.

Cos she needs constant attention. Attention.

And if juggling a two-year-old

and pregnancy wasn't tough enough,

Covid restrictions have turned even the family shop

into a major logistic challenge.

For the last, like, three or four weeks now,

we've been doing click and collect.

Our original shopping plan was Jay Facetimed me

while he was in the shop and I picked things out.

But it was getting very stressful.

Not my daddy.

So anyway, click and collect is great.

There is obviously substitutions but...

Hello. And my name is Chloe.

And this is my daddy and mummy.

I am currently 38 weeks pregnant.

So she could come any day now.

I am sort of getting to the point now where I am very tired

and worn out.

So I am ready for her to come now, I think.

Yeah.

Hello?

Hello?

Hello. Sorry.

I just had to go upstairs.

We are having to move Chloe, our little girl,

as she was watching Frozen and she kept singing.

Belting out all the songs.

That would be quite nice to hear.