"I lost a lot of blood!" Gemma Atkinson opens up about traumatic birth experience

1 to 5 percent of women will have a postpartum haemorrhage during birth resulting in a lot of bleeding, and Gemma Atkinson was one of them.

Where nine doctors were in the room doing everything they could to save her life, Gemma feels incredibly lucky to tell the story about Mia's difficult birth.  

The Hits Radio presenter said Gorka had got her a doctor after she started to feel unwell and, "she took 1 look at me & again pressed the panic button." 

Telling her story in an Instagram post, Gemma revealed that "with every contraction, her heart rate dropped.' 

 

 

 

 

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This picture was taken when Mia was 30hrs old. The weary smile on my face doesn’t quite portray how happy I was inside as 30hrs earlier, things could have gone very differently. 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. 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 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. 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. Gorka got a doctor and she took 1 look at me & again pressed the panic button. I was having a hemorrhage. 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. 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. I’m fully aware for some people it’s a different outcome & I feel incredibly lucky that me & Mia are healthy & healed. My mum moved in with me while Gorks was away & has been incredible! If I can be half the mum she is to me I’ll be happy! I’m going to remind Mia of this story any time she has doubts about what she can achieve in life. The odds were against her from the start, but she’s been a little fighter from day 1. Feeds perfectly & is gaining weight like I do on an all inclusive holiday! We’re SO proud of her, she’s our little soldier & I’m so Grateful ❤️

A post shared by Gemma Atkinson (@glouiseatkinson) on Jul 20, 2019 at 3:01am PDT

"I was having a haemorrhage. A big one & I lost a lot of blood."

As Gemma reflected, she said she didn't remember much, but what she did recall was, "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."

Gemma said she woke with Gorka and her family surrounding her, and 'Mia sleeping soundly & a lovely midwife named Di checking my notes.' 

She also thanked the NHS and the incredible hospital staff:

"I'm aware fully aware for some people it's a different outcome & I feel incredibly lucky that me & Mia are healthy and healed."

Gemma describes her birth experience as a lesson for Mia, as she said: "I'm going to remind Mia of this story any time she has doubts about what she can achieve in life."

She revealed that they are so proud and so grateful.

She went on to say that the odds were against Mia, weighing a tiny 4lb 10 from the start but she's been 'a little fighter from day 1.' 

Mia 'feeds perfectly & is gaining weight like I do on an all-inclusive holiday.'  

Have you had a postpartum haemorrhage? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

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