0:00:02 > 0:00:03Hello, Ward 4, midwife speaking.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05Ow!
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Don't panic, it's going to be over soon.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10With the highest birth rate in 40 years...
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Look what you've done!
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Oh, my God!
0:00:14 > 0:00:16You were just amazing, look at him.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19..midwives are under more pressure than ever before.
0:00:19 > 0:00:20You are kidding me.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23We have a lady on the table in theatre waiting to come out.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26We filmed in busy maternity departments in Birmingham,
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Manchester and Cardiff.
0:00:28 > 0:00:306, 11 I reckon.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33He's about 6, 11 and a half.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36..as the midwives deliver the next generation...
0:00:36 > 0:00:38The scary bit is, you're all going to be midwives.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39APPLAUSE AND CHEERING
0:00:39 > 0:00:41..with care...
0:00:41 > 0:00:42Oh, please help me.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44We're here, we're here, we're here, we're here...
0:00:44 > 0:00:46..and dedication.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49My baby's life is in your guys' hands. I know. That's it now.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Not good for the stress levels, this job, at all.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55You'll be absolutely fine, I told you I'll be with you. OK?
0:00:55 > 0:00:58It does touch you. This is the reason we do what we do.
0:00:58 > 0:00:59All right, it's OK.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01You smell nice.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03It's more than a job, it's...
0:01:03 > 0:01:05You're part of somebody's life, and they never forget you.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07There we go.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21OK, Danni, is it all right if we have a look at Alex
0:01:21 > 0:01:23and see how he's doing and make sure everything's OK?
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Yeah, what are you going to be do with baby?
0:01:26 > 0:01:29We'll do a top to toe and make sure everything's in the right place,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31he's got ten fingers, ten toes. Is that all right?
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Yeah, that's fine. Lovely, thank you.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36This year, a record number of students are
0:01:36 > 0:01:38training to become midwives.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41You're going to feel for their posterior fontanelle
0:01:41 > 0:01:44all over to their anterior fontanelle.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Feeling great, and there's no moulding, as well.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52These new recruits are in their first year of a three-year degree
0:01:52 > 0:01:55course at Birmingham City University.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Here's your Vitamin K.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59I need two midwives to check it for me,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01I'm actually not qualified to do so.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03None of you are.
0:02:03 > 0:02:04SHE LAUGHS
0:02:04 > 0:02:06They'll split their time between academic study
0:02:06 > 0:02:10in the classroom, and hospital and community training placements.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Thank you. So everything's fine and normal with baby?
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Everything's absolutely perfect.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Well, bye, baby. That's it now.
0:02:26 > 0:02:31First-year student Rebecca is from a family of midwives.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Both my grandma and my mum were midwives,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36so it's something that I've grown up around.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39They've been very open and honest about the role
0:02:39 > 0:02:42and what can be expected and how difficult it is.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45It's not all just, sort of, walking into a room,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48delivering a gorgeous, healthy baby to a lovely, healthy,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51fit mother, cos that's not what the job is, unfortunately.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56She's been studying at the university for just three months.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Tonight, she's starting a four-week placement
0:02:58 > 0:03:02at Birmingham Women's Hospital, on the night shift.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04It's just going to take quite a lot of getting used to.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08I've obviously never worked at night-time before, you know?
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Am I going to get through the door and then become really tired?
0:03:11 > 0:03:17It's very strange getting ready for a night shift.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Student midwives are recognised by their white uniforms.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28A single chevron is sewn onto the sleeve for each year of training.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31As a first year, I think it's highlighting, obviously,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34with red, the fact that we might not
0:03:34 > 0:03:38know everything quite yet.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41I've never sewn on a sleeve in my life,
0:03:41 > 0:03:48but, you know, we're going to be sewing up things like episiotomies
0:03:48 > 0:03:52and torn perineums, so worth getting the practice in, I think.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05WOMAN SCREAMS
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Rebecca will train at Birmingham Women's Hospital's
0:04:10 > 0:04:12high-risk delivery unit for three years
0:04:12 > 0:04:15before she's qualified to deliver a baby on her own.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Well done. Oh!
0:04:17 > 0:04:20(SOBBING) Oh, my God!
0:04:20 > 0:04:22She'll rely on an experienced midwife to mentor her,
0:04:22 > 0:04:24so she can practise on mums.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Hi. Hi.
0:04:28 > 0:04:29Hi, are you Daisy? Yeah.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Daisy, I'm Rebecca, I'm your student.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Ah, hi, Rebecca. Hello. How are you? Are you OK?
0:04:33 > 0:04:36I'm very well, yeah. I'm very, very excited. Fab.
0:04:36 > 0:04:37To meet my mentor, as well!
0:04:39 > 0:04:41You're going to be with me for the next four weeks?
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Yes. OK. So is there going to be much for me to do as a student?
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Lots for you to do. Have you put anybody on a CTG before?
0:04:46 > 0:04:50No. We'll be doing lots of that tonight, then. OK.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Have you done blood pressures and things like that?
0:04:52 > 0:04:54I'm not very good at blood pressures, so...
0:04:54 > 0:04:57OK, we'll start showing you what to do.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Wonderful. Yeah? I'm very, very excited. Good.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09So, you are, "I'm Rebecca, I'm a student midwife.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11"Do you think you could do a urine sample for us?"
0:05:11 > 0:05:13And then we're going to go into Room 2.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Before she gets hands-on, Rebecca must learn the basics.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Daisy has asked her to test a urine sample.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26This one's really full, so be careful.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29You have to have a lot of patience with a mentor,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31especially with a first year, because they're learning
0:05:31 > 0:05:34everything for the first time, and it's all very new.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38So you're having to teach them right back, at the basics.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41So sometimes you forget that they don't know how to do
0:05:41 > 0:05:45a blood pressure, or that they aren't sure how to do a urine test.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50She's got a bit of protein, but nothing else,
0:05:50 > 0:05:54so this needs to go in the sluice.
0:05:57 > 0:05:58Oh.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03Oh, crap. Oh, dear.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10She got one plus of protein,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14and I also dropped a little bit of urine on the floor.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16Huh? I dropped a little bit of urine on the floor,
0:06:16 > 0:06:18what do I do with it? Have you wiped it up?
0:06:18 > 0:06:20There should be alcohol wipes in there.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22If not, there should be some in the room.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25OK, I'm going to go and disinfect the floor.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28THEY LAUGH
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Bless her, her first day.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Oh. Mmm.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35SHE LAUGHS
0:06:39 > 0:06:40Hi, are you OK?
0:06:40 > 0:06:44Rebecca needs to deliver 40 babies under supervision
0:06:44 > 0:06:47over the next three years to qualify as a midwife.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49My name's Daisy, and this is Rebecca,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51and we're going to be looking after you tonight.
0:06:51 > 0:06:52Lovely. Are you OK?
0:06:52 > 0:06:56Rebecca's first mother is Gemma, who's having her first baby.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58She's high-risk and being induced,
0:06:58 > 0:07:02having developed gestational diabetes.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04How are you feeling? I'm all right. Yeah?
0:07:04 > 0:07:05Ask me that later.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07THEY LAUGH
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Do you know what you're having? A little boy.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12A boy? What are you going to call him? Joel. Joel?
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Ah, fabulous. Excited?
0:07:15 > 0:07:17Nervous? I am excited.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20And when they told me that I've the bed, I was like, "Yes!"
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Gave them a cuddle, like, "Yeah!"
0:07:23 > 0:07:25Then I called my mum.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Oh, no. "What's going to happen now?" Oh, gosh. Aww.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Right. Do you understand what we're going to do? Yeah.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33We have to break your waters before we start the drip. OK.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Once the drip starts, we turn it up every half an hour
0:07:36 > 0:07:39until you start getting good contractions.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Brilliant. OK? Yeah. Great stuff. Great.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44'On the delivery suite, we can't always just have
0:07:44 > 0:07:46'the normal women for Rebecca to look after,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49'so we have to teach straightaway the abnormal as well.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52'That can be a bit difficult for them to kind of get to grips with,'
0:07:52 > 0:07:55because they're still trying to get to grips with what's normal.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57And so, to throw in somebody that's higher risk,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59and what to do when things are high-risk, I think can be
0:07:59 > 0:08:01a bit too much for people to take in sometimes.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05There, there we go, no prob.
0:08:05 > 0:08:06Ah.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10If it's not too painful, would you be happy for Rebecca
0:08:10 > 0:08:13to examine you and see what one centimetre feels like?
0:08:13 > 0:08:17Yeah. Yeah? Is that all right? Yeah. Brilliant.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20This is the first time that I'm going to be doing
0:08:20 > 0:08:21a vaginal examination, and I'm hoping
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Daisy's going to talk it through with me as well,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28whilst we're doing the exam. I will.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32It's this gloves that's the tricky bit.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37You think that's the tricky bit?
0:08:37 > 0:08:39THEY LAUGH
0:08:39 > 0:08:40Yes.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45It's good we're not in an emergency, Rebecca.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47I know, sorry.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Can you get them on?
0:08:51 > 0:08:52Of course I can.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55There we go, on.
0:08:55 > 0:08:56OK.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59It's very difficult to feel where the cervix is
0:08:59 > 0:09:01and how far dilated it is.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05So just to find the cervix for Gemma now is good enough,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08that's all I want her to do, is just be able to feel where the cervix is.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11So, just feel two fingers, so just inside.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Yeah, yeah.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15And then keep your fingers upwards...
0:09:15 > 0:09:16Yeah.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19And then you reach right to the back, and you might feel
0:09:19 > 0:09:22as if it's like the end of your nose, that little hard kind of...
0:09:22 > 0:09:24And it's about a centimetre long.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Push, higher. And then it's like
0:09:26 > 0:09:29just a tiny little hole. Can you feel that?
0:09:29 > 0:09:30Sorry!
0:09:30 > 0:09:33So you'll feel and if you put your finger inside it, you can
0:09:33 > 0:09:34just press the baby's head,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37and it's like you can feel a hard bit, his head. Yeah.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Can you feel it? Yeah. Yeah?
0:09:39 > 0:09:41I can feel the baby boy.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Well done. Perfect.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Thank you very much, Gemma.
0:09:45 > 0:09:46You're welcome.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Yes, we're on our way, ladies.
0:09:49 > 0:09:54Yes, we're going to be doing it and we're going to be doing it tonight.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58I've waited quite a while, but I'm hoping to get a birth.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00And I've just done my first vaginal examination as well,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03it went really well, yeah. Oh, did you get it?
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Yeah. "Get it!"
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Like, feel it. I did, I did.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10She's really, really nice, they're a really lovely family.
0:10:10 > 0:10:11I still haven't done one yet.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14See you later! Bye! Bye!
0:10:17 > 0:10:19SHE KNOCKS
0:10:19 > 0:10:21It's only me.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31AIR WHOOSHES
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Four hours later, Gemma is in established labour.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36As a first-year student midwife,
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Rebecca's role is to support the mum.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43I just want him out now.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46I know, Gemma, but we can't rush him out either, can we?
0:10:46 > 0:10:49He can't come out too quickly. I know, I know.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51I need him out now, I've had enough. I know, I know.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57GAS MACHINE WHEEZES
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Daisy, I think I need to push!
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Oh! Oh!
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Use the gas, Gemma, keep using the gas.
0:11:06 > 0:11:07GAS MACHINE WHEEZES
0:11:11 > 0:11:13GEMMA GROANS
0:11:13 > 0:11:14I'm going to get the doctor.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18So Gemma's still about four, four to five centimetres dilated,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21so she's made really good progress, because it's only been about
0:11:21 > 0:11:25an hour, that she's likely dilated another centimetre, maybe two.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28But there's some D cells on the CTG,
0:11:28 > 0:11:31so it just means that baby needs a...
0:11:31 > 0:11:32might be a little bit distressed.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35So we're going to get the doctor just to have a little
0:11:35 > 0:11:38look at the monitor and see what we can do. OK?
0:11:40 > 0:11:42I'm not going to leave the room now.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45OK. I'm not leaving the room, OK. Please don't leave me.
0:11:45 > 0:11:46I'm not going to leave.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48She's just got one of those urges to push.
0:11:48 > 0:11:49I think she's going to be fast.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Becky, I need to push him out, I need to push.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Shall I just quickly examine you and see? Maybe you're fully dilated.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Please get him out! Please, please, please.
0:11:58 > 0:11:59All right, Gemma.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Gemma, stay nice and calm.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Nice and calm, well done, well done.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07GEMMA GROANS
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Baby's heartbeat has dropped down.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12If it doesn't pick up, we might need to go in for a Caesarean section.
0:12:12 > 0:12:17Yeah, go, go, go! Please, any way, please.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21GAS MACHINE AND GROANING DROWN OUT SPEECH
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Have you got any questions?
0:12:25 > 0:12:27I just want her to be all right.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Can someone stay with me?
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Is it all right, Becky? Is everything OK, darling?
0:12:33 > 0:12:36Everything's OK, we're just going to go into theatre.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Mum! Oh, please help me.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41We're here, we're here, we're here. You're all right.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Gemma's baby is now in clear distress.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47The doctors rush her to theatre to perform a C-section.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50It was the one thing she said all along,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52"I don't want a C-section."
0:12:52 > 0:12:54And now she's got to have one.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Talk to me, because I'm in a fit.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02I will, I'll talk to you. Stuart's here, hold Stuart's hand.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04All right, and I'm going to stand.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07It's probably easier for you to reach round, Stuart.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19It's the first time Rebecca will have
0:13:19 > 0:13:22responsibilities in theatre once the baby is born.
0:13:22 > 0:13:28DOCTOR: No point in pushing now, baby's head is out, and baby's here.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31There we go. Oh.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34In just 15 minutes, baby Joel is delivered safely.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39BABY CRIES
0:13:39 > 0:13:42DOCTOR: Sounds it, good. There we go.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Thank you. Hello, baby.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53BABY CRIES
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Is he OK?
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Come on.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Congratulations. Baby boy.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Hello. Hello. Congratulations. Thank you.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14We haven't had to do anything - just dried him off,
0:14:14 > 0:14:16kept him nice and warm.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19He's just tiny.
0:14:19 > 0:14:20He's beautiful.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23God, your nanny's going to be so happy.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25Both of them.
0:14:27 > 0:14:28There you go, then.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31OK, take him over and let's do a cuddle, and let them...
0:14:31 > 0:14:35Let Gemma see his gorgeous face.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37Aww, little one.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Gemma, look who I have got.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Oh, let me see him.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49Can you see?
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Oh, baby! Oh, look how little he is.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55STUART: He is tiny. He is absolutely gorgeous.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57Oh!
0:14:57 > 0:14:59I love him.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02What a beautiful family.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07It's so nice to be there and be part of it. Beautiful.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13Rebecca has assisted with her first emergency C-section.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Now she must get to grips with her first newborn baby.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21I can't put his little hat on.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Come on, Joel.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Daisy, do the hats usually take this long to get on?
0:15:32 > 0:15:33He looks like a Smurf.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36No, stretch it.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Oh, OK. So I had the completely wrong technique.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Oh, come on.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50I can't do baby hats.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55I will perfect the technique another time. Not on baby Joel.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09OK, so these are the midwifery Oscars.
0:16:09 > 0:16:10STUDENTS BANG ON DESK
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Oh, drum roll.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16For the third-year students at Birmingham City University,
0:16:16 > 0:16:18it's the end of their academic studies
0:16:18 > 0:16:21and the last time they'll see each other in class.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Oh, Ashley's crying!
0:16:23 > 0:16:26It's only cos we ran out of scotch eggs.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28LAUGHTER
0:16:28 > 0:16:29It's an emotional occasion.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Now they must complete their final four-week placement,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35working in the community.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40They must prove they can work on their own to qualify as a midwife.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43And the scary bit is, you're all going to be midwives.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46APPLAUSE AND CHEERING
0:16:51 > 0:16:5421-year-old Melissa's final placement
0:16:54 > 0:16:57is with the Quinton Lane Community Midwives.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Hiya, it's Melissa,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01the student midwife that's coming out to see you shortly.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05Hiya, sweet. I just needed to get your postcode, if that's all right.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07When I first applied for midwifery,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09I didn't realise how much responsibility was there.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13There's more to it than just going to uni, you know, doing your essays.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16We've got that other side of our course, where we're spending
0:17:16 > 0:17:21time on placement, establishing ourselves as a practitioner
0:17:21 > 0:17:26and gaining those clinical skills that we will need for the job, to be
0:17:26 > 0:17:30a good midwife, to be able to care for those women and their babies,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32and, I guess, to make a difference.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35For the first time,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Melissa will be expected to carry out home visits on her own
0:17:38 > 0:17:43to mums in Quinton, a large suburb of Birmingham.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46It's important that all students are competent,
0:17:46 > 0:17:50because, you know, it's part of protecting the public.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Pregnant mums in the future need to be confident that
0:17:54 > 0:17:58their healthcare professionals are safe.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Over the next month, Ann will determine
0:18:01 > 0:18:03whether Melissa is safe to practise on her own.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Failure means she won't qualify.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11You do worry about going in on your own, don't you?
0:18:11 > 0:18:15I'm a bit more nervous now we're actually on the way there.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18I think I'm not nervous of myself, because I know I can do it.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21I'm more nervous in the fact that, what are the parents going to think?
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Are they going to be thinking,
0:18:23 > 0:18:27"Oh, what's she doing? Is she doing it right?" You know?
0:18:27 > 0:18:31So yeah, once we're in there, I'll be fine,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34once we're in there. It's just getting there, isn't it?
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Hopefully I won't have any shaking hands.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Good luck. Thank you.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43And I'll see you in about half an hour.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46OK, bye. Bye.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53I'm looking for the right house that we need to be at.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57It's a little bit daunting not knowing where I'm going
0:18:57 > 0:19:00and what I'm walking into.
0:19:00 > 0:19:01There it is.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06But you've got to be confident, because...
0:19:08 > 0:19:11..you kind of have to be.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14So, I'm just going to check, I think it's number...
0:19:14 > 0:19:16Oh, no, actually...
0:19:16 > 0:19:18I always get the addresses wrong.
0:19:20 > 0:19:2351, so we've gone too far now.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29So that's that...
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Oh, there.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Are you all right?
0:19:37 > 0:19:40It's by those... I opened the window to get your attention.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43That's all right. Sorry, I thought it might have been you,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46but I wasn't sure. Yeah. Are you Lisa? Yeah, I am, yeah.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49I'm Melissa, how are you? I'm fine. Good.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Well, I've got one concern at the minute.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54I don't know if it's normal. I did speak to the doctor,
0:19:54 > 0:19:56but I'm losing, like, a black discharge.
0:19:56 > 0:20:01I explained to the doctor the other day, it's not like clots,
0:20:01 > 0:20:02it's just like...
0:20:04 > 0:20:08..like watery, blacky... and there's black bits in it.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11And he turned round and he did say to me, "Don't worry about it,
0:20:11 > 0:20:13"but obviously, if it gets worser,
0:20:13 > 0:20:14"then have a word with the midwife about it."
0:20:14 > 0:20:17And it is getting a bit worser than what it is, and I don't...
0:20:17 > 0:20:19I don't know what it is.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21OK, bear with me a second. OK.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23It's not like all the time when I go.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Is it completely black or is it red?
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Black, no, it's black.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29I'd worry if it was red, obviously.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Sorry, I'm going to have to run off to the toilet.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34It's all right.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Hi, Sarah, it's Melissa. I'm just doing this booking.
0:20:38 > 0:20:39The lady's just informed me
0:20:39 > 0:20:45that she's losing quite a watery discharge, but it's black in colour.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48'I always doubt myself.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52'I think my confidence has grown quite drastically
0:20:52 > 0:20:54'since first year, but I've always had that doubt
0:20:54 > 0:20:57'at the back of my mind, can I actually do this?
0:20:57 > 0:20:59'Am I good enough to be a midwife?'
0:20:59 > 0:21:03Thank you, all right, bye-bye.
0:21:05 > 0:21:06OK.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09This is a very personal question, and I do apologise for asking it,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12but have you had sexual intercourse recently?
0:21:12 > 0:21:13Yeah, obviously.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15In the past few days?
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Not in the past few days, no.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Because it could be old blood,
0:21:19 > 0:21:24and sometimes it's quite normal to have a bleed after intercourse.
0:21:24 > 0:21:25Right.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28I think what we will need to do is get you to go and see the GP.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Right. Because I am quite worried, because I've had 17 miscarriages.
0:21:31 > 0:21:3317? Yeah.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36I'm sorry to hear that, Lisa, it's not very nice, is it? No.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39So I think that's the best option, is to book an appointment today.
0:21:39 > 0:21:40OK, then.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43And if you can't see anybody today, then you need to try
0:21:43 > 0:21:46and get to a walk-in GP centre.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47Right, OK. OK?
0:21:51 > 0:21:53It went well, but it was a tricky booking.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56She had quite an extensive obstetric history,
0:21:56 > 0:22:02in terms of her previous miscarriages, the number she had.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05So I almost felt a little bit out of my depth.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08It is quite scary, you know, it's really hard to think,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10"Oh, my God, in a few months, I'm going to be out there on my own."
0:22:10 > 0:22:15This time next year, I could potentially be in a blue dress,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18out on the community, doing my own visits
0:22:18 > 0:22:22with nobody to kind of go back to
0:22:22 > 0:22:25in terms of a mentor-student relationship.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27I may even have my own student!
0:22:27 > 0:22:31It is mad, but it's really exciting at the same time.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44You spend your life looking for things, like scales.
0:22:46 > 0:22:52Rebecca is working the night shift on the high-risk delivery unit at Birmingham Women's Hospital.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54'Night shifts are OK.'
0:22:54 > 0:22:56I've been feeling quite uncomfortable, quite bloated.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59And then you feel, when you're sleeping,
0:22:59 > 0:23:04if I do a row of nights, that's four days that I'm sort of out of sync.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08And you feel like nobody else knows that you're there or that
0:23:08 > 0:23:11you're actually living, you know.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14In a flat on my own, I feel like I'm quite secluded sometimes,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17especially doing nights, when you're not awake with everybody else.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Irene, it's only me.
0:23:22 > 0:23:2633-year-old Irene has been on the unit for five days,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29and there's still no sign of labour starting.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32I'm having a hospital holiday, I'm stuck here, so...
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Do you know what you're having? Girl.
0:23:35 > 0:23:36A girl? Yeah.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Wonderful, the baby's heartbeat looks beautiful at the moment.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42So I'm just going to talk to the doctors and see
0:23:42 > 0:23:45if we can start the drip now and then we'll get things going.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47OK, sweetheart, I'll be back in a minute.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49All right, OK, thank you.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52To prevent Irene developing blood clots in her legs during labour,
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Rebecca's first job is to fit her with compression stockings.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00OK, are you going to try and pop these on?
0:24:00 > 0:24:01Oh, my God.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04They're tight, but you just have to really just pull them up.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Are these the ones that have the things inside as well,
0:24:06 > 0:24:09like a little bit of plastic to help you put them on?
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Can you do one and I'll do the other? You can do them both for practice.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14OK. Okey-dokey!
0:24:18 > 0:24:20because I've tried them before and failed.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Don't worry about lifting your foot or anything.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31OK. And tell me if I'm hurting you, just let me know, OK?
0:24:31 > 0:24:34It's all going on right now, let me know if it's sore.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36No, it doesn't hurt at all, I feel sorry for you.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Grappling with this sock!
0:24:38 > 0:24:40I feel like I want to help you, but I can't.
0:24:40 > 0:24:41Oh, no, no, don't worry.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Rebecca's always worrying that the little things, you know,
0:24:44 > 0:24:46is she doing it right, is there anything she could do better,
0:24:46 > 0:24:48has she done it wrong?
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Can you see the concentration on my face?
0:24:51 > 0:24:54'Sometimes the best way to learn is just to go and do it,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57'and sometimes, I think she holds back a little bit and thinks,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59'oh, let me watch you again,'
0:24:59 > 0:25:01and then I'll try next time.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03But sometimes, the best way to learn is just by going and doing it.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Well, thank you very much.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09There you go. Stockings on!
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Ta-da, is that done OK?
0:25:12 > 0:25:13Yay!
0:25:13 > 0:25:15You do leave it like that, though, don't you?
0:25:15 > 0:25:20We usually put it over the toes, but some people might want to toes out. Oh.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22No, actually, you can do it for now.
0:25:22 > 0:25:23Yeah?
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Yeah, see if it looks nicer.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28It looks nicer! It's all about how you look today.
0:25:28 > 0:25:29Definitely.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32THEY LAUGH
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Many first-year students, like 19-year-old Molly,
0:25:41 > 0:25:46are unlikely to have set foot on a maternity ward or witnessed a birth.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50I don't think I should be allowed to do this for another few years yet,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54but they just kind of chuck us in, so all I can really do is
0:25:54 > 0:25:58what they show you on film - "Breathe, breathe."
0:25:58 > 0:26:00That's it, really.
0:26:00 > 0:26:06I saw someone have a Caesarean section on TV,
0:26:06 > 0:26:10on Casualty, the other day, and it did scare me a bit.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14And that's completely fake, so I'm not looking forward to that,
0:26:14 > 0:26:18I don't know how I'll react in theatre, that's one of my worries.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Because I've seen a birth before
0:26:21 > 0:26:24and I've seen the crash team have to come in to a birth before,
0:26:24 > 0:26:28but I've never seen anyone be sliced open yet, so I don't know how
0:26:28 > 0:26:31I'll react to that, it's a bit...
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Bit squeamish of that, I think.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Molly is being mentored by Cathy Jones,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48a midwife with over ten years' experience, at the Women's Hospital.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Just remind me where you are and what, what you've done so far.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54I'm a first year, first placement in delivery so far.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58First placement on delivery today? Have you had any deliveries at all?
0:26:58 > 0:27:00I've seen two. You've seen two? OK.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02'Because it's very difficult'
0:27:02 > 0:27:05to get work experience in this sort of area,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08you've had little or no exposure to this kind of environment at all
0:27:08 > 0:27:10before your first day. So you really don't know
0:27:10 > 0:27:12whether it's going to be something...
0:27:12 > 0:27:15you think you've got an idea that it's what you want to do,
0:27:15 > 0:27:17but you can't really know until you start doing it.
0:27:18 > 0:27:23Molly is assisting with Suzanne, who's having her second baby.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27The good news - well, you're fully dilated, OK?
0:27:28 > 0:27:31Because I would probably, at this stage, probably wouldn't,
0:27:31 > 0:27:33wouldn't necessarily do your epidural.
0:27:33 > 0:27:34Oh, God.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Is it too late for pethidine?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Yeah, it wouldn't work, darling. I think you'll have a baby before.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Is it too late for anything?
0:27:41 > 0:27:44It is, I'm afraid, at the moment, yeah. Shit. OK, but you'll be fine,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46Sue, Sue, look at me. You're doing great with the gas.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49You're going to be fine. OK? We're going to look after you.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54I really didn't want this to happen. I know this is not what you wanted, sweetheart, but you'll be fine.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Give me a push, Sue, give me a push, OK?
0:27:57 > 0:27:59SHE STRAINS
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Hi, Suzanne, my name's Dr Chiu, I'm one of the registrars.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Hi, hi.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12So the baby's heart rate's still quite low, actually, Suzanne, OK?
0:28:12 > 0:28:15So I think what we really need to do is get the baby delivered.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19The doctor will help Suzanne delivery her baby by ventouse,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22a suction cup placed on the baby's head.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28OK, we only get three pulls, OK?
0:28:28 > 0:28:32So you must push, just like you just did, OK?
0:28:32 > 0:28:33God, it's all going really quick.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35I know.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37You're doing a fantastic job, Sue, OK?
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Come on, great big push until he tells you differently.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Push, push, push, push, push, keep going. Great job, well done.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46SHE STRAINS
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Fantastic, well done.
0:28:48 > 0:28:54Well done, OK, just stop there for a second. Nearly there, OK?
0:28:54 > 0:28:57So next contraction, we should have the baby delivered.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59This is, this is coming.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02If it feels like it's time and you know it now.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04You'll know it before we will. Go on then, great big push, darling,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07that's it. Listen carefully, keep going, keep it going.
0:29:07 > 0:29:12SHE STRAINS
0:29:12 > 0:29:15All the way, keep it going. Well done, Sue, you're doing brilliant.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17OK, get ready to blow, OK?
0:29:17 > 0:29:19DOCTOR: And another push for me.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22MIDWIFE: There we go, great. The head is born!
0:29:22 > 0:29:23Well done, mate.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Oh, my God. Little push and she's here, OK?
0:29:26 > 0:29:29DOCTOR: OK, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, just pause.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32Good girl. Hello, happy birthday!
0:29:32 > 0:29:34Oh, beautiful!
0:29:34 > 0:29:35Happy birthday!
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Hello. Oh, my God!
0:29:37 > 0:29:44MIDWIFE: Well done, darling, nine minutes past five, OK? Well done!
0:29:44 > 0:29:47You superstar, well done.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49BABY CRIES
0:29:56 > 0:29:59As Molly deals with the baby, the team attend to Suzanne,
0:29:59 > 0:30:02whose blood pressure has suddenly dropped.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10I think you feel a bit rubbish because your blood pressure's a bit low. OK? All right.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14Can I just re-examine you again, Suzanne, just to make sure there's no more clots in there?
0:30:14 > 0:30:17The problem is, if there's lots of clots in you, in your womb...
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Yeah. It doesn't contract properly, so it doesn't work very well.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23Yeah. And it fills up and fills up, and you're bleeding,
0:30:23 > 0:30:25but we can't see it coming out, but you're bleeding onto the inside,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28and that's what can make you feel unwell. Right.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31So we need to make sure that that's not what's happening, OK?
0:30:31 > 0:30:33Molly, just go and hold her hand, OK?
0:30:42 > 0:30:44Sorry, Suzanne, you're doing great.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46There's clots in the vagina.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48There is?
0:30:48 > 0:30:52Lots. It's still coming, Cathy, that's the problem.
0:30:55 > 0:30:56Suzanne is haemorrhaging,
0:30:56 > 0:31:00a rare complication that can happen after birth.
0:31:00 > 0:31:05The team must get the bleeding under control or it could prove fatal.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07Suzanne, are you OK?
0:31:07 > 0:31:10You're shaking, you've just got quite a bit of adrenaline at the moment, OK?
0:31:22 > 0:31:27It seems to have lessened a bit, we'll keep an eye on it, all right?
0:31:27 > 0:31:29'Suzanne kind of went very shaky and pale,'
0:31:29 > 0:31:33and her blood pressure went down loads, and her heart rate kind of raced up.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36That was quite scary, just because I knew that a low blood pressure,
0:31:36 > 0:31:38and with the amount of blood that she'd lost, and with
0:31:38 > 0:31:42the raised heartbeat, that there was something definitely wrong.
0:31:42 > 0:31:43In an emergency situation,
0:31:43 > 0:31:48everyone's busy doing what they're doing, and they kind of explain it to the students after,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50they just ask them to go grab little things.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53So then you're kind of there, in the unknown about what the situation is
0:31:53 > 0:31:54and what's going on, which is quite scary.
0:31:54 > 0:31:59So, we'll send off these bloods and we'll just see what's going on.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02Are you all right, Sue? Yeah. Sure?
0:32:02 > 0:32:05'For Molly, who, during this placement,
0:32:05 > 0:32:09'the idea is that you get as much exposure to normality as possible,'
0:32:09 > 0:32:11wasn't quite what we had planned.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14But I do think it's really important for the students to appreciate that
0:32:14 > 0:32:18normal's great, but normal isn't for everybody and normal isn't every day,
0:32:18 > 0:32:21particularly not when you do your training in a unit like this.
0:32:22 > 0:32:27MOLLY: It's kind of taught me not to kind of trust the situation
0:32:27 > 0:32:32until it's properly safe and handed over, that you can't kind of relax
0:32:32 > 0:32:35completely and think that everything's OK.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39Even if they look fine, they, obviously, aren't always all right.
0:32:52 > 0:32:58Third-year Melissa is on her final work placement as a community midwife in Quinton, Birmingham.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Here, she will run her own antenatal clinic,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04with sole responsibility for a full list of patients.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07Karen Blanch?
0:33:07 > 0:33:10She'll have to give appropriate care and run to time,
0:33:10 > 0:33:12whilst mentor Ann takes a step back.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16This is a big responsibility for Melissa,
0:33:16 > 0:33:20because this is the first clinic on her own.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22And in the future, you know, in a few months' time,
0:33:22 > 0:33:28she'll be expected to do a clinic by herself, without any backup.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32So it's good that she's getting the experience of conducting her own clinic
0:33:32 > 0:33:36with me on hand in the room next door.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39This is a crucial part of her practical assessment.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43Melissa must pass this stage to qualify as a midwife.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46Ann is here today, she's just in another room.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49She's letting me be a midwife for the day.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53Everything I do today has got to be right, because the women are
0:33:53 > 0:33:56going to look at me and think, "She needs to know what she's on about."
0:33:56 > 0:33:59I don't really want to feel like, "Oh, actually, I'll go and ask Ann."
0:33:59 > 0:34:03I want to be able to do it on my own, because it was one of my objectives
0:34:03 > 0:34:07for this placement, so fingers crossed.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09Amy Michelins?
0:34:09 > 0:34:13Her second patient, Amy, is only 15 weeks pregnant.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16She's never heard her baby's heartbeat before.
0:34:18 > 0:34:23We can try and have a little listen in today, to your baby's heartbeat.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26But because they're so tiny, there's no guarantee that we will be able
0:34:26 > 0:34:29to hear it, so it's completely your choice.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Because I don't want you to go away thinking something's wrong
0:34:32 > 0:34:36if I can't pick it up. Yeah, that's fine, if you can have a go,
0:34:36 > 0:34:39that would be lovely. Yeah? Yeah, of course, take a seat on the couch.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43Even for experienced midwives, it's not always possible to find
0:34:43 > 0:34:47the baby's heartbeat at such an early stage of pregnancy.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Sorry, I've got cold hands. That's all right.
0:35:03 > 0:35:04That's baby moving around.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06FOETAL MONITOR PULSATES
0:35:11 > 0:35:14Do you know what, that is the most clear heartbeat I have picked up.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Good work.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Yeah, very good.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21Lovely, thank you.
0:35:21 > 0:35:22All right?
0:35:22 > 0:35:24Yeah, perfect.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26Thank you, Amy, take care.
0:35:26 > 0:35:27Bye!
0:35:27 > 0:35:29Oh, it was amazing. That is
0:35:29 > 0:35:32the most clear heartbeat I've ever heard that early on.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35She seemed really, really happy. Her face...
0:35:35 > 0:35:37She had a big grin, didn't she?
0:35:39 > 0:35:42It's nice to be able to make somebody smile like that.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Got it!
0:35:47 > 0:35:52Patricia, hello, sorry to keep you waiting.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Melissa's next patient is 22-year-old Patricia.
0:35:55 > 0:35:56Her pregnancy is overdue,
0:35:56 > 0:36:00so she's been having regular check ups with the midwives.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02How are you feeling?
0:36:02 > 0:36:05I'm all right, but just lots of pain, like, on this side,
0:36:05 > 0:36:07going down.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10OK. Have you been feeling baby move, Patricia?
0:36:10 > 0:36:14To be fair, from yesterday, don't want to move.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Not at all? OK.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Absolutely. He is so lazy, I know, but from...
0:36:20 > 0:36:21Is it normal for him? Not from yesterday.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Not, not from yesterday, OK? Yeah, but always, he's like,
0:36:24 > 0:36:28moving maximum two or three times a day. He's so lazy.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31So, apart from yesterday, he normally has good movements, OK?
0:36:31 > 0:36:33Yeah, yeah.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36We'll probably send you up to triage, then, and get that checked out.
0:36:36 > 0:36:37All right. All right?
0:36:37 > 0:36:40We're always concerned where the foetal movements have changed
0:36:40 > 0:36:41or reduced in any way.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44That's not to say it, it's anything wrong,
0:36:44 > 0:36:46but you just don't know, you know.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48A baby can't tell you what's wrong,
0:36:48 > 0:36:53so it's better to be on the safe side.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56Do you know the seriousness of foetal movements?
0:36:57 > 0:36:58Mmmm.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Did you try having a cold glass of water and sitting down?
0:37:01 > 0:37:03I tried everything.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05If that doesn't happen after a few hours, you must call triage.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07All right.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10OK? Because we don't know what's going on in there.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14Hiya, can you put me through to triage, please?
0:37:14 > 0:37:17Hiya, it's one of the students in clinic.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21We've got a lady here who's not felt any foetal movements
0:37:21 > 0:37:24since 2am. It's her first baby.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28All right, thank you, thanks, bye.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33Right, so just make your way there when you're ready.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36All right. OK? Thank you. Thank you.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Thank you, bye.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Bye, take care.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Now she's left, I think I'm going to be,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48sort of, thinking about her tonight, and I probably won't be able
0:37:48 > 0:37:51to sleep, because my mind goes into overdrive.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55You just don't know, and I think that's what's most scary.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58Pregnancies are so unpredictable, you just never know.
0:38:09 > 0:38:14Three hours later, it's clear that Melissa has made the right call.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18Patricia has been rushed into theatre for an emergency C-section.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23Patricia's been rushed round for a category one C-section.
0:38:23 > 0:38:24It did happen really quick,
0:38:24 > 0:38:26because she came in today in triage
0:38:26 > 0:38:29to be induced for reduced foetal movements, and then, obviously,
0:38:29 > 0:38:32when we've put her on the CTG, the baby's heart rate went down.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35So the doctors made a decision to come round to theatre
0:38:35 > 0:38:38and give her a Caesarean.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Congratulations, well done.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11BABY CRIES
0:39:13 > 0:39:16Yes, you're going to meet your mummy.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19Somebody wants to say hello.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Don't cry, sweetie. We are... we are together now, yeah.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25Don't cry, don't cry.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28How are you feeling, Dad?
0:39:29 > 0:39:31Stress!
0:39:32 > 0:39:35Everything was fine by one second.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38The heartbeat's gone, and automatically, they pressed
0:39:38 > 0:39:42some buzz, lots of doctors came and says, you need to have a Caesarean.
0:39:46 > 0:39:51So, they did a Caesarean, we are here, and he is with us.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57So stressed, but so exciting at the same time.
0:39:59 > 0:40:05Knowing that you've played a part in the outcome of somebody's baby,
0:40:05 > 0:40:09sending them to triage and knowing that she hadn't felt her baby move
0:40:09 > 0:40:11for 12 hours,
0:40:11 > 0:40:14is a huge responsibility to think that,
0:40:14 > 0:40:19if I hadn't sent her,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22you know, would the outcome of that baby be as good as it is now?
0:40:22 > 0:40:25It's quite overwhelming knowing that, if you're not doing your job
0:40:25 > 0:40:29properly, that, you know, things, things can happen, you'd cause harm.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38It was Rebecca?
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Yeah. Do you want to go to 15? Yeah, lovely, thank you.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49Nearly 3,000 babies will be delivered by students
0:40:49 > 0:40:51at the Women's Hospital each year.
0:40:51 > 0:40:52It's for suturing, isn't it?
0:40:52 > 0:40:57For breast-feeding. You sit on it the other way round.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59How is this for breast-feeding?
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Not for the woman, for you, assisting her to breast-feed.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03Oh, right, I see!
0:41:03 > 0:41:07Rebecca is working the night shift with midwife Bobby.
0:41:07 > 0:41:08Nine o'clock.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10When you get, like, half past,
0:41:10 > 0:41:14and it's five to, the time goes really, really fast.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17Night shift midwives, can we come in? Hello.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21They're looking after Janine, who's having her second baby.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Can I just feel your tummy? Is that all right?
0:41:24 > 0:41:26You continue on the gas and air.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32That's a nice, strong contraction you're having.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Keep going on the gas and air, you're doing really well.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37That's the third in five minutes.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41Just two hours into her shift,
0:41:41 > 0:41:45Rebecca has the chance to assist on her third delivery in two weeks.
0:41:45 > 0:41:46Well done.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49JANINE CRIES OUT
0:41:50 > 0:41:52I know, hang on in there.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58Janine, do deep breaths on your gas and air.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01JANINE CRIES IN DISTRESS
0:42:01 > 0:42:04It's not so much distressing, the bit that gets me is
0:42:04 > 0:42:07when the decibels go a little bit too high,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10and it's more, sort of, just hurting your ears.
0:42:10 > 0:42:15And you're very close to that woman and you have to then go closer to them to encourage them
0:42:15 > 0:42:17whilst they're still screaming.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20So it's not actually the fact that she's screaming, it's just the,
0:42:20 > 0:42:25the actual noise and the impact on my ears that I find quite hard.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29Just sit up for me again, because you've gone slightly sideways.
0:42:29 > 0:42:30Oh, it really hurts, it's...
0:42:30 > 0:42:33It's hurting?
0:42:33 > 0:42:35It's comfortable here. It's comfortable here?
0:42:35 > 0:42:40Well, we'll need to be careful that you don't roll off the bed.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Can I examine you in a minute?
0:42:43 > 0:42:47Because you're pushing, aren't you? I know you are.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51We can tell, Janine, that you've started pushing.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53You have, haven't you? Yes!
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Yes, you have!
0:42:55 > 0:42:59How do you feel about getting hands-on with this delivery?
0:42:59 > 0:43:02Yeah. I've done, I've done two, so yeah...
0:43:02 > 0:43:05I'd really like to. Wicked.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07I'm glad that you want to, that's good.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10At least you're not shying away from it.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13Do you mind just pressing the call buzzer as well, just for an extra hand?
0:43:13 > 0:43:17Janine, I can see the top of the baby's head, OK?
0:43:17 > 0:43:21So, if you have another contraction, give me a little push.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25Are you having a contraction? Go on, go on.
0:43:25 > 0:43:31That's it, go on, I think there is, well done, you!
0:43:31 > 0:43:34Janine, keep these knees up for us.
0:43:35 > 0:43:39Come on, keep on, keep going, go on.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42Go on. More, more.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45That's it, Janine, open up your legs as wide as you can, that's it.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47Well done.
0:43:47 > 0:43:51JANINE STRAINS
0:43:51 > 0:43:53Well done, Janine, well done.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57Hold on, no, don't push, just blow. Don't push.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59Lovely, head's out, well done.
0:43:59 > 0:44:04So just wait...
0:44:04 > 0:44:06Give us a push.
0:44:06 > 0:44:08Well done.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13Congratulations!
0:44:15 > 0:44:19Hello, little one! Well done.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21Baby.
0:44:21 > 0:44:24BABY CRIES
0:44:26 > 0:44:29Here's your baby, she's beautiful.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34My baby.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36Beautiful, beautiful baby.
0:44:37 > 0:44:39Oh, my God.
0:44:42 > 0:44:45Hello, baby girl. Hello.
0:44:45 > 0:44:49Well done. Oh, my gosh. That was amazing.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52I've loved every minute of this placement, I have.
0:44:52 > 0:44:56You know, even when you're tired and your eyes are streaming because
0:44:56 > 0:45:00you've done too many nights, it's still loving it, really wonderful.
0:45:00 > 0:45:04And you can just watch families change, you have, sort of,
0:45:04 > 0:45:10mums in the room that are then grandparents and new parents,
0:45:10 > 0:45:14and everybody's so happy, and it's just a really nice moment to be part of.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17So happy.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19I'm well proud of her.
0:45:19 > 0:45:23It doesn't get much better than this.
0:45:23 > 0:45:27This is just the cherry on the cake of life, really.
0:45:27 > 0:45:31It's just banging!
0:45:31 > 0:45:33We Brummies say banging!
0:45:36 > 0:45:38I obviously don't know everything just yet,
0:45:38 > 0:45:42but the more I learn, the more I can help.
0:45:42 > 0:45:46And that's what I want to do, I want to help people.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00One of Rebecca's final duties is to make tea
0:46:00 > 0:46:02and toast for postnatal mums.
0:46:04 > 0:46:09Oh, no, this must have stuck to the side.
0:46:18 > 0:46:20Oh.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22I've just annihilated the toaster.
0:46:22 > 0:46:26Do you know the toaster is one of the most important pieces of equipment in the hospital?
0:46:26 > 0:46:28I was very aware.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31If you tell a postnatal mum that she can't have toast,
0:46:31 > 0:46:33that's one of the biggest emergencies.
0:46:33 > 0:46:35They're going to hunt me down, aren't they?
0:46:35 > 0:46:38Yeah. Run...run and hide, Rebecca.
0:46:50 > 0:46:51Now just pull back again,
0:46:51 > 0:46:54to make sure that there's no air bubble at the top.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57No, that's perfect.
0:46:57 > 0:46:58You can ask anything.
0:46:58 > 0:47:00I'm always asking you questions, constantly.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03There's never a silly question, really.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05Because it's never silly, is it, if it's bugging you?
0:47:05 > 0:47:07And you're better to ask it now than to be coming
0:47:07 > 0:47:09when you're qualified, because once you're qualified
0:47:09 > 0:47:11and you do your little bit of rotations, you feel,
0:47:11 > 0:47:15I think most students feel, I can't ask that, I should have known it.
0:47:15 > 0:47:17And it could be a scenario happens that you haven't actually seen
0:47:17 > 0:47:20and you could be qualified a year, months,
0:47:20 > 0:47:22you could be qualified even longer.
0:47:22 > 0:47:24Never to be complacent, because there is always a time
0:47:24 > 0:47:27when you'll meet something you've never met before.
0:47:29 > 0:47:30Hello.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34With no guarantee of work after graduation,
0:47:34 > 0:47:36the competition for a job is tough.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40Now I'll update that for you as well.
0:47:40 > 0:47:4422-year-old Hannah has swapped her student whites for blues,
0:47:44 > 0:47:47having got her 40 births to qualify as a midwife.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51It was the best feeling in the world when I found out I'd got
0:47:51 > 0:47:53the job here, cos it was where I really wanted to work.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56When you've got your white uniform on, you've sort of got that
0:47:56 > 0:47:59to hide behind, so, and your mentor, you've got them to hide behind.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02But now you've got your blue uniform, it's completely on you.
0:48:02 > 0:48:05Which side is it you're getting your pain on? Is it your...?
0:48:05 > 0:48:07It's the right side, isn't it?
0:48:07 > 0:48:10I think, when you suddenly see the girls that you've trained,
0:48:10 > 0:48:12and that have been your students,
0:48:12 > 0:48:15and you suddenly see them in blue and they're all qualified,
0:48:15 > 0:48:17it makes you feel really like,
0:48:17 > 0:48:18"Oh, we made it, look at them, they did it."
0:48:18 > 0:48:20You know, cos you've done it yourself,
0:48:20 > 0:48:23what they've been through to get there and what they've achieved.
0:48:23 > 0:48:25You've come so far and you know so much, and yet,
0:48:25 > 0:48:27and it's just the beginning, so it's scary.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36It's Irene's sixth day on the unit.
0:48:36 > 0:48:38Her contractions have now started,
0:48:38 > 0:48:42and Hannah will take charge of the delivery.
0:48:42 > 0:48:45What I want you to do is we like you to get three
0:48:45 > 0:48:48really good pushes with each contraction that you have.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50So, what you need to imagine, it's going to sound not nice, imagine
0:48:50 > 0:48:54you're really constipated and you really need to go to the toilet.
0:48:54 > 0:48:58Just chin on your chest and just big push down into your bottom,
0:48:58 > 0:49:01and fingers crossed, we'll see this baby.
0:49:01 > 0:49:02That OK? Yeah.
0:49:04 > 0:49:05OK? Getting one now.
0:49:07 > 0:49:11That's it, fab, excellent.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14That's it, keep it going, fab.
0:49:14 > 0:49:16I'm really excited that
0:49:16 > 0:49:18this could be my first birth in my blue uniform.
0:49:18 > 0:49:20And it's really nice to be able to share it with a family that
0:49:20 > 0:49:23'you've, you know, you've been looking after for a while
0:49:23 > 0:49:24'and you've really got to know them.'
0:49:24 > 0:49:26You've got another one now. I've got another one.
0:49:26 > 0:49:29'The more you think about it, the more nervous you get.'
0:49:29 > 0:49:31Fingers crossed, it will go nice and smoothly,
0:49:31 > 0:49:34and we won't need any help, and she'll have a lovely delivery.
0:49:34 > 0:49:35One more.
0:49:35 > 0:49:37SHE STRAINS
0:49:37 > 0:49:41Oh, fantastic, well done, brilliant.
0:49:41 > 0:49:43Excellent.
0:49:43 > 0:49:48Hannah can only let Irene push for a maximum of two hours.
0:49:48 > 0:49:50Any longer, and the baby could become distressed.
0:49:51 > 0:49:55With Irene close to her limit, Hannah needs to deliver the baby.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59You're doing absolutely fab, be proud of yourself.
0:50:01 > 0:50:02Still slowly.
0:50:04 > 0:50:06No, it's not going to come quickly.
0:50:06 > 0:50:08I'm afraid this baby wants to take its time.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14Are you able to push again for me?
0:50:16 > 0:50:17That's it.
0:50:19 > 0:50:21Big push, right down.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23Excellent, well done. There we go, head's out.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26Well done, that's your baby's head. Head's out.
0:50:26 > 0:50:27So, with the next contraction,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30what we're going to do is deliver your baby. OK.
0:50:34 > 0:50:35Got one brewing now, big push for me.
0:50:35 > 0:50:39Big push. OK, push, yeah.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45That's it, keep it going, keep it going.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48Coming? I don't know if it's shoulders or not.
0:50:50 > 0:50:51Is the neck free?
0:50:52 > 0:50:56The neck's free, but can you push again for me?
0:50:58 > 0:51:00There we go. That's it, well done.
0:51:00 > 0:51:02SHE EXHALES
0:51:03 > 0:51:07Come on, baby. Come on.
0:51:09 > 0:51:10Come on, baby.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14Come on, baby.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20He's a little bit shocked, do you want to cut the cord? Yeah.
0:51:22 > 0:51:23Come on.
0:51:25 > 0:51:26BELL BEEPS
0:51:28 > 0:51:30Can you press the call bell? The what?
0:51:30 > 0:51:32Can you press the call bell?
0:51:32 > 0:51:34Pull the emergency buzzer, thank you.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37ALARM BEEPS
0:51:42 > 0:51:43Have you got him? Yeah.
0:51:43 > 0:51:47BABY CRIES
0:51:54 > 0:51:55BABY GURGLES
0:51:57 > 0:52:00Turn it off now. It's all right.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02No, he's having a go. No, it's all right now.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08Yeah, it's above 100. He's still really...
0:52:08 > 0:52:10The tone's not brilliant. Yeah, yeah.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13Yeah, we probably could do with, just, just bleep like normal. Yeah.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15BABY CRIES
0:52:18 > 0:52:20Come on, sweetheart.
0:52:22 > 0:52:23Tone's improving.
0:52:26 > 0:52:27Come on, darling.
0:52:35 > 0:52:36BELL BEEPS
0:52:40 > 0:52:41Come on, sweetheart.
0:52:43 > 0:52:44Tone's improving.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48BABY CRIES
0:52:48 > 0:52:50She's come out a little bit shocked.
0:52:50 > 0:52:53Ah, she's lovely. She's fine.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57When you see that they're starting to respond to what you're doing,
0:52:57 > 0:52:59it's absolutely amazing, because you know that's what
0:52:59 > 0:53:02you're doing is... is obviously helping that baby.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05And you know the baby is now a well baby and not...
0:53:05 > 0:53:09not one that's going to potentially need to go to the neonatal unit.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12Come on, sweetheart, let's go skin to skin with your mummy.
0:53:16 > 0:53:17All right?
0:53:23 > 0:53:26Congratulations. That's all right.
0:53:32 > 0:53:34I'm tired, really tired and want to sleep.
0:53:36 > 0:53:41I can't sleep, I'll watch, but we'll sleep in the night-time, yeah?
0:53:42 > 0:53:45But it still will be better this night than the previous one.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58How are you doing?
0:53:58 > 0:54:02Well, I got a delivery, so first as in blue.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06However, baby was born flat as a pancake. Oh, no.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Didn't respond to any stimulation at all,
0:54:08 > 0:54:11so had to pull the emergency buzzer, take to the resuscitator,
0:54:11 > 0:54:14five inflation breaths, and then it did respond.
0:54:14 > 0:54:15Bless you. I know.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18So it is a bit, I mean, the head delivered really slowly...
0:54:18 > 0:54:20So was it? We delivered it to the eyebrows,
0:54:20 > 0:54:22and then it took a while to get the rest of the face out,
0:54:22 > 0:54:24so I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28I wouldn't have thought it did. It can, if it's sitting there for a little while.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30Usually they respond fairly quickly...
0:54:30 > 0:54:32Yeah, the crying and everything. Whereas this one did not? No.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35So, Hannah, was that the first one then for you, love? Yes, it was.
0:54:35 > 0:54:39Oh, bless. But you did it, sweetheart. We did.
0:54:39 > 0:54:40First of many... I know.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43And we get better and stronger and...
0:54:43 > 0:54:45Yes, and if I get another resuscitation now,
0:54:45 > 0:54:47I'll feel a bit more confident with it. Course you will.
0:54:47 > 0:54:48Oh, dear.
0:54:48 > 0:54:53BABY CRIES
0:54:55 > 0:54:57I'm going to go home and eat lots of chocolate to relax,
0:54:57 > 0:55:01because I'm absolutely knackered and emotionally drained today.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04So I'm going to go home and eat lots of chocolate.
0:55:05 > 0:55:10Oh, dear. You did cause us some grief, didn't you?
0:55:10 > 0:55:13Yes, yes, you did.
0:55:15 > 0:55:17Daisy, these are for you.
0:55:17 > 0:55:22Oh, with these Ferrero Rocher, you are spoiling me.
0:55:22 > 0:55:23They're my favourite.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26It's the last day of Rebecca's placement.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29In just four weeks, she's delivered five babies.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33That's so nice, thank you, that's really sweet of you.
0:55:33 > 0:55:35I just, I'm not going to do it for all my mentors,
0:55:35 > 0:55:38you're my first mentor. Just me, just me. Yeah.
0:55:38 > 0:55:41And, when you have other mentors, just still, just buy me the present.
0:55:41 > 0:55:45Oh, Rebecca must have had another mentor recently,
0:55:45 > 0:55:48another box of Ferrero Rocher.
0:55:48 > 0:55:49That's such a good idea.
0:55:51 > 0:55:54Rebecca has a confidence about her, and this lovely kind of fresh
0:55:54 > 0:55:58kind of confidence that not many students have.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01I think because some of them are a lot more frightened than she is.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04But she...she seems to have overcome that quite quickly,
0:56:04 > 0:56:07and that's nice, I think, because it doesn't hold her back.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09I'm going to miss her, I've enjoyed working with her,
0:56:09 > 0:56:11she's been really lovely to teach,
0:56:11 > 0:56:14and I think she's going to make a really fabulous midwife.
0:56:14 > 0:56:17Good luck. Give me a hug. Thank you, Daisy. Oh, thank you so much.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20Take care and if you're ever worried about anything or need anything,
0:56:20 > 0:56:21just give us a call.
0:56:21 > 0:56:23I've got your mobile. You've got my number.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26Thank you so much, Daisy, bye. Good luck, bye-bye.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36Excellent attitude, good communication skills -
0:56:36 > 0:56:37in fact, they're excellent.
0:56:37 > 0:56:40It's the moment of truth for Melissa.
0:56:40 > 0:56:41Today, she will find out
0:56:41 > 0:56:45if she's done enough to pass her final placement.
0:56:45 > 0:56:49So, well done, we've awarded you a grade of 80.4,
0:56:49 > 0:56:53which is excellent, which is an A-grade, so well done. Thank you.
0:56:53 > 0:56:57Do you want to comment on anything? Are you happy with that result?
0:56:57 > 0:56:59Yeah, I'm really happy.
0:56:59 > 0:57:02I just want to say thank you for making this last placement
0:57:02 > 0:57:04a really good one.
0:57:04 > 0:57:06Oh, bless you, give me a kiss.
0:57:07 > 0:57:09I'm really thrilled.
0:57:09 > 0:57:13I wasn't expecting an A grade, I was hoping to get at least a B,
0:57:13 > 0:57:14but yeah.
0:57:14 > 0:57:17It's nice to know that somebody's had that much trust in you
0:57:17 > 0:57:23and supported me to be able to gain an A.
0:57:23 > 0:57:28She's done really well in this last four weeks' placement,
0:57:28 > 0:57:33and she's, she's an outstanding student.
0:57:33 > 0:57:36And I'm quite proud of her,
0:57:36 > 0:57:40cos I'm part of that process,
0:57:40 > 0:57:42so I'm really pleased.
0:57:42 > 0:57:45Oh, my God, it's the last ever placement that's going to be
0:57:45 > 0:57:47ever assessed, and I got an A.
0:57:49 > 0:57:52I just never thought I'd get here. Having a baby is one of the most
0:57:52 > 0:57:54amazing things that anybody could have.
0:57:54 > 0:57:55There are so many people out there
0:57:55 > 0:57:58that can't go through that themselves.
0:57:58 > 0:58:00And to be part of that experience for somebody is,
0:58:00 > 0:58:04is a real privilege, it's a real privilege.
0:58:05 > 0:58:07I'm getting all emotional now.
0:58:09 > 0:58:12I guess it's just hit me that it's come to that point now where
0:58:12 > 0:58:15I just want to get through it and finish it
0:58:15 > 0:58:19and be able to make a difference to the public
0:58:19 > 0:58:25and provide that care for women and their families and be a midwife.
0:58:25 > 0:58:28Lovely to meet you. Lovely to meet you. Take care. Goodbye!
0:58:41 > 0:58:43Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd