Gemma Atkinson has made no secret of her dramatic labour with daughter Mia. So it's no surprise that she was devastated after her little girl said her first word – and it wasn't what she expected. The former Strictly Come Dancing star took to her Instagram Stories to share her bittersweet excitement over Mia learning to speak. Talking into the camera, she said: "I carried her. Had a kidney infection with her around seven months. I was taken to A&E. I had an achy back, swollen feet, quite a traumatic birth followed by a haemorrhage – and this morning, the first thing she starts saying… Dada! Dada dada. Now I know dada is easier than mamma but come on Mia! Crikey!" Gemma then panned the camera around to boyfriend Gorka Marquez, who was unable to hide the delighted look on his face.
WATCH VIDEO: Gemma and Gorka reunite with baby Mia
Gemma and Gorka welcomed Mia on July 4 2019. A few weeks later, she shared her dramatic birth story. Captioning a photo of herself and Mia lying on a hospital bed, she wrote: "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 wasn't happy with Mia's first word
"The decision was made to induce me to help her along but she disliked that even more," she said. "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."
MORE: The special meaning behind Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez's baby's name
Gorka was clearly thrilled
MORE: Actress Gemma Atkinson reveals emotional conflict about returning to work after baby Mia
The former Emmerdale star added: "2hrs later I was alone with Gorks & Mia blissfully happy in a ward when I suddenly felt extremely unwell. Gorka got a doctor and she took one look at me & again pressed the panic button. I was having a haemorrhage. 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."
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.