Gemma Atkinson revealed that she dreads “history repeating itself” after the traumatic birth of her daughter Mia. The 38-year-old had received an emergency C-section before haemorrhaging so much blood that it put her life at risk – and she is terrified about the prospect of more complications.
Gemma, who announced recently that she was expecting a baby boy, is especially concerned at the thought that there may not be enough staff around due to the current crisis in the NHS.
She revealed her innermost feelings in a candid Instagram post, telling fans: “Physically, I can do this but mentally, it’s like hitting a wall in a workout.
“I need to just push through,” she agonised, following a visit from her midwife, Rachel.
She continued that the pair had been doing “positive affirmations” together to prepare her mentally for the upcoming birth.
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Explaining why she has forked out for a private midwife, she previously rationalised: “I love our NHS but I know how stretched they are.
“With the strikes still happening, I felt uneasy at the thought of history repeating itself with my pregnancy and not enough staff to help.”
She added: “I fully support their reasons for striking and they should absolutely be paid a hell of a lot more for what they do!”
The former Hollyoaks actress confirmed that while she intended to give birth in an NHS hospital, her midwife would be tasked with helping with “pre and post-care”.
“Last time I was told Mia was going to be a big baby and she was absolutely tiny so this time I felt I needed and wanted monitoring more closely,” Gemma added.
“I’ll be having a lot more scans this time keeping a close eye on baby’s size (so far everything for baby and me results-wise are spot on and as expected).”
Weeks earlier, she took to Instagram to reassure a fan who’d been concerned by what she thought was the gym enthusiast’s erratic breathing.
However, Gemma wrote back to confirm that it wasn’t a pregnancy-related complication and that she’d been having regular blood tests to monitor her health.
“In fact, [at] my last blood pressure check a week ago I was told ‘Gosh you are as chilled as you look’,” she exclaimed.
She then added that the tell-tale signs everyone had been so concerned about were actually “common”.
“Breathlessness is common in pregnancy due to everything shifting and moving about to make room,” she wrote.
Gemma previously addressed her decision to overcome her fears and try for baby number two, and when her bump became “impossible” to hide, she made an announcement on Twitter.
Fans were thrilled – and, according to Gemma, so is her three-year-old daughter Mia Louise, who is looking forward to meeting her baby brother.
However, she joked on Instagram: “We may need to do some negotiating on names, as so far she’s adamant he’s going to be called Barbie.”
Gemma will share the new addition to her family with Gorka Marquez, 32, whom she first met several years earlier on Strictly Come Dancing.
So far, Gemma has been enjoying much of her usual routine, even lifting small weights and working out while boasting a visible belly – and she is practising positive thinking in the hope of a complication-free birth this time around.
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