Actress Gemma Atkinson and her partner, Strictly dancer Gorka Marquez, welcomed their daughter Mia, now three, into the world on 4 July 2019 and the couple are expecting their second baby together, a boy.
Recently, Gemma has spoken on her social media about the upcoming birth of her second child. Unfortunately, her daughter's birth wasn't straightforward, with Gemma requiring an emergency C-section and haemorrhaging after delivering Mia. We look back at the star's birth experience below…
WATCH: See Mia as a baby in the clip below
Gemma Atkinson in labour with daughter Mia
The photo below was taken in the early stages of Gemma's labour – and look how adorable her dogs are comforting their mum!
The actress told her social media followers: "Gorks took this picture a few hours after my waters had broke. They didn’t leave my side, they were totally aware little sister was on her way."
MORE: Pregnant Gemma Atkinson reveals special meaning behind son's name
Gemma with her dogs during early labour
Gemma then went through quite an ordeal before she met her gorgeous daughter Mia.
She gave a personal account of the birth on Instagram, beside a photo of herself and Mia sitting on a hospital bed. "This picture was taken when Mia was 30hrs old," she explained.
"The weary smile on my face doesn't quite portray how happy I was inside as 30hrs earlier, things could have gone very differently."
She added: "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 with newborn Mia
Gemma Atkinson's emergency C-section
"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: Gemma Atkinson showcases growing baby bump in flawless new video
The adorable baby Mia
Fortunately, Gemma had taken a hypnobirthing class and used these techniques to keep calm.
She continued: "It wasn’t what I'd planned but thanks to my hypnobirthing despite the madness & panic, I was able to calmly keep my breathing technique & accept whatever is best for Mia just do it! 2hrs later I was alone with Gorks & Mia blissfully happy in a ward when I suddenly felt extremely unwell."
Gemma Atkinson falls ill after the birth
Gemma revealed: "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," she said.
"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."
Gemma while pregnant with Mia
Gemma Atkinson's happy baby news
Gemma shared a further post on the arrival of Mia, saying: "And just like that, we’re a three! Our beautiful baby daughter arrived on Thursday 4th July and myself and Gorks couldn’t be happier. She's incredible and she certainly made an entrance, giving us all quite a fright at times! Little Miss independent already!"
"Thank you SO much to the Midwives, nurses & doctors at The Royal Bolton Hospital who did the most incredible job taking care of myself and my baby. You’re all so wonderful and I’m so grateful to have had you all with me and to have been under your care these past 4 days. Back home now for family time and to introduce little lady to her big brothers Norman & Ollie.... Let the next life chapter begin @gorka_marquez."
Like this story? Sign up to the HELLO! Family Hub newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.