One Born Every Minute

With the massage oils at the ready, it’s the dads who take centre stage in this episode of One Born, when we see how different men approach the role of birthing partner. Midwife, Gill Houghton, doesn't think birth partners get enough credit for the role they play at the birth, “it’s tough going for a man, they often don’t know what to do… it’s my role to help them find their feet.” Super-organised couple Nadine (31) and Paul (40) are coming into Liverpool Women’s Hospital to have their second baby. Risk Manager, Paul, knows that birth is an unpredictable business. At the birth of their first child everything spiralled out of control, and it was “the most traumatic experience of (his) life”. This time he’s determined to give his wife Nadine a better experience, as he’s learned, “Happy wife, happy life”. Paul has attempted to remove all 'risk' by planning this birth down to the finest detail, from the music to the candles, to massage, hypnobirthing and aromatherapy. The midwives are impressed to say the least, “He looks like Gary Barlow... What a guy!” Young couple Bobbilee (19) and Frankie's (22) eyes met at their local bus-stop, and then he treated her to home-cooked beans and chips. A month after getting together, Bobbi found out she was pregnant. Dad, Frankie, has no experience with childbirth whatsoever but rather than reading up and doing his research, he’s decided he’s going to “wing it”. Armed with plenty of change for the vending machine, his plan is to keep Bobbi well fed with crisps and chocolate throughout the labour. But after 48 hours in the hospital, and still no sign of baby, will he be able to step up and support her when the going gets tough? Until a year ago, Linda (32) and Tony (42) were both single parents bringing up their kids on opposite sides of the same street. When their children started playing together, they decided to bring their two families together with a new baby. Linda is booked in for a planned C-Section but Tony won’t be going in to theatre with Linda, due to traumatic hospital experiences in his past, “I’ve never been in hospital with someone and they’ve survived”. Linda’s mum, Irene, will be stepping into Tony’s shoes as birthing partner in theatre, while Tony waits anxiously for news.