Gemma Atkinson has revealed she endured a terrifying haemorrhage after giving birth to baby Mia via an emergency Caesarean section.
The soap star, 34, told fans a cluster of medics fought to save her life and were “physically pulling clots out of me” as she lost blood in the hours following the ‘traumatic’ delivery.
Writing on Instagram, Gemma explained a snap showing the beaming mum dote on her daughter was taken just over a day after the gruesome nightmare that left partner Gorka “beside himself” with emotion.
“The weary smile on my face doesn’t quite portray how happy I was inside as 30 hours earlier, things could have gone very differently,” Gem said.
The Emmerdale star went on to say that before tiny Mia – weighing just 4lb 10oz – arrived the midwife was concerned the baby may not be strong enough to open her cervix.
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However, despite plans for Mia’s delivery having to be changed, Gemma remained composed as her first born came into the world.
Gemma recalled: “My water broke on a Tuesday and we gave her the benefit of the doubt but by the Wednesday evening despite her being in the perfect place and so low down, she still hadn’t managed it.
“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 third one midwife Katie who was taking care of me at the time pressed the panic alarm and within 15 minutes s I was rushed out, prepped and delivered Mia via an emergency c-section.
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“It wasn’t what I’d planned but thanks to my hypnobirthing despite the madness and panic, I was able to calmly keep my breathing technique and accept whatever is best for Mia just do it!”
But within a couple hours of Mia making her first appearance, Gemma “suddenly felt extremely unwell” and the panic alarm was sounded again.
“I was having a haemorrhage. A big one and I lost a lot of blood,” Gemma continued.
“I don’t remember much other than having around nine doctors in the room, some injecting me, hooking me to drips, physically pulling clots out of me and one comforting Gorks who was beside himself in the corner.”
Thankfully, Gemma awoke from her ordeal surrounded by her loved ones – and with baby Mia resting peacefully.
She added: “I woke in another room with Gorks and my family there, Mia sleeping soundly and a lovely midwife named Di who was checking my notes.
“The trauma was over and thanks to our NHS and incredible hospital staff we were ok.”
Admitting she feels incredibly lucky for both herself and “our little soldier” Mia, Gemma later said she hoped her experience would inspire other parents to have confidence in themselves.
“I decided to share my birth story with you to hopefully help encourage some other mums,” she wrote in an Insta Stories post.
“Sometimes things don’t go ‘to plan’ but they can still be ok in the end, we’re stronger than we think and our bodies are incredible.”
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