They've been living on cloud nine since welcoming their daughter Mia into the world on 4 July. But Gorka Marquez has revealed that his attention wasn't fully on girlfriend Gemma Atkinson while she was in labour. The Strictly Come Dancing star has admitted that instead of being an ideal birthing partner, he was actually watching tennis. "Labour was very good – I was falling asleep watching tennis," he told HELLO! ahead of the Strictly Christmas Special, during which he is dancing a Jive with Gemma, who added: "Falling asleep watching Wimbledon!"
WATCH: The sweet story of Gemma, Gorka and Mia
Speaking of their energetic routine, Gorka added that he is very "proud" of Gemma for taking on such a difficult challenge, just five months after giving birth. He said: "I'm proud of her, it's only five months since she gave birth and she's doing a Jive which is a hard dance, and she's jumping around the chair, you know? And she did the hardest thing in life which is give birth."
Shortly after Mia's birth, the former Emmerdale actress revealed that it was a very traumatic experience and "could have gone very differently". She said on Instagram: "Mia was a tiny baby, 4lb 10. With that in mind the midwife was concerned she wouldn’t be strong enough to open my cervix. My water broke on a tues & we gave her the benefit of the doubt but by the Wednesday evening despite her being in the perfect place & so low down, she still hadn’t managed it."
Gemma suffered a hemorrhage after Mia's birth
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She continued: "The decision was made to induce me to help her along but she disliked that even more. With every contraction her heart rate dropped. On the 3rd one midwife Katie who was taking care of me at the time pressed the panic alarm & within 15 mins I was rushed out, prepped & delivered Mia via an emergency C section. 2hrs later I was alone with Gorks & Mia blissfully happy in a ward when I suddenly felt extremely unwell."
Gemma and Gorka are dancing a Jive on Strictly's Christmas special
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She added: "Gorka got a doctor and she took one look at me & again pressed the panic button. I was having a hemorrhage. A big one & I lost a lot of blood. I don’t remember much other than having around 9 doctors in the room, some injecting me, hooking me to drips, physically pulling clots out of me & one comforting Gorks who was beside himself in the corner. I woke in another room with Gorks & my family there, Mia sleeping soundly & a lovely midwife named Di who was checking my notes. The trauma was over & thanks to our NHS & incredible hospital staff we were ok."
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