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Call The Midwife fans praise cleft lip and palate storyline which left them in tears

The moving storyline had viewers sobbing

Call The Midwife viewers heaped praise on the show’s latest episode for the sensitive way it dealt with a baby born with a cleft lip and palate

In moving scenes, which left many fans in tears, Nurse Valerie Dyer (Jennifer Kirby) helped Betty Marwick (Lisa Ellis) cope with her newborn son Kirk’s condition.

Call The Midwife (Credit: BBC Iplayer)
Call The Midwife was praised for its latest storyline (Credit: BBC Iplayer)

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While Betty was overwhelmed with how to care for her new baby, the midwives were shown to be unsure of how to react to the baby’s condition.

Nurse Valerie hit the medical textbooks to find out more information on how to feed the baby and soothed the new mum’s fears.

But while Valerie told her that he was just “born uniquely” Betty struggled at first to look after his additional needs by herself.

Call The Midwife (Credit: BBC Iplayer)
Baby Kirk was born with a cleft lip and palate in Call The Midwife (Credit: BBC Iplayer)

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Fans heaped praise on the BBC1 drama, with many sharing their personal experiences of the condition – pointing out how things have changed in recent years.

One viewer tweeted: “Well done #callthemidwife! Was a difficult watch at times, having been born with a cleft I was more than a little bit invested in the storyline! Any awareness is positive awareness though, we’ve come so far #cleftstrong.”

While another wrote: “Love tonight’s episode of call the midwife as my daughter was born with a cleft and palate #welldonecallthemidwife”. (sic)

A third added: “As someone born with a cleft lip and palate some years ago I’m watching #callthemidwife with great interest. I’m sure @CLAPACOMMUNITY are glued to the screen too! I know medics who delivered me were not nearly as sensitive to my parents as the #callthemidwife crew.”

Call The Midwife (Credit: BBC Iplayer)
Mary struggled to come to terms with caring for her son on Call The Midwife (Credit: BBC Iplayer)

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Other viewers revealed how the show had moved them to tears. One fan wrote: “There is nothing quite like #callthemidwife to make clear what really matters in the end. Loved tonight’s episode – & cried liberating tears.”

While another added: “I wish they didn’t have Call The Midwife and Les Mis on the same night. I have to disguise an awful lot of sniffing as an incipient cold.”

Call The Midwife (Credit: BBC Iplayer)
Nurse Valerie was on hand to help the new mum on Call The Midwife (Credit: BBC Iplayer)

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A third wrote: “#callthemidwife is sad tonight. But a hopeful end. You will be crying.”

The episode ended with Kirk receiving his first reconstructive surgery, which was a success.

Were you affected by the episode? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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