One Born Every Minute

The first episode of the fifth series introduces the straight-talking midwifery team in Bristol as an expectant father risks missing his daughter's birth and one of the team helps her next-door neighbour through an emotional labour. Michelle and Michael's parents are from different countries: hers are Chinese, his British. 'I was actually asked if I was a Thai bride when we were on our honeymoon!' says Michelle. They're both self-confessed gadget geeks, and are praying for a less traumatic birth second time round. Michelle lost a lot of blood during her first labour and Michael was traumatised by the experience. He's determined to be by her side for this delivery, but in a quiet few hours, he decides to head home for the evening and Michelle's contractions suddenly kick in. Expectant dad Rich, who's 35, used to be a committed bachelor with flash cars and a house full of televisions. According to Georgina, who's 25, all that's about to change; she's determined he'll swap his flamboyant lifestyle for something more family-friendly. Twenty-nine-year-old Louisa and midwife Vicki have been next-door-neighbours and friends for over 20 years. In a twist of fate, Vicki is on duty when Louisa comes onto the maternity ward, and helps her through an unexpectedly eventful labour. Also on hand is her big sister, Laura, who has so far been unable to conceive herself. It makes for an emotional delivery.

This week on One Born Every Minute, wedding plans are hatched in the birthing pool, a couple face their fears in theatre and a Naval officer is all at sea with the arrival of his first baby. First time mum, Lucy (22) admits she's afraid of everything from roller coasters to sewing needles so the thought of giving birth is completely terrifying. She says she’s just little and “knows how small her bits are”, wondering how on earth the baby is going come out. Doting fiancé, Sam (23) has his proposal to Lucy is all planned out and the rings are en route from eBay. But despite all the distractions, panic soon sets in. Amy (31) and her naval engineer husband, Paul (31) arrive at Southmead Hospital for an induction. But after a quick examination, it becomes clear that Paul is far more squeamish than he expected “If I could get away with pacing the corridor outside while the womenfolk give birth” he says, “then I would.” Amy is quite clear that is not going to happen and Paul will be by her side. Meanwhile, Dianne (33) is understandably concerned about giving birth as the last time she was in labour there were serious complications. This time Dianne and husband John (32) have opted for an elective Caesarian this time, but as the moments tick by nerves begin to get the better of them.

This week on One Born Every Minute, a disabled mum-to-be shows incredible courage in getting through a dramatic delivery, there are premiership tussles in the birth room for opposing football fans, and a five year fertility journey is almost over for one first time mum. When Cheryl (27) and her husband Rob (34) met on an on-line dating site they knew instantly that they wanted to be together. It was some time later before Rob discovered Cheryl suffered from cerebral palsy but Rob’s response was “So what” and the duo have never seen this as an obstacle. Now in labour with their second child, Cheryl needs to dig deep to overcome a traumatic and unexpected turn of events in theatre. Meanwhile, Manchester United fan Sarah (23), and her Liverpool-mad husband, Mark (38), must put their footballing differences aside and support each other through their labour at Southmead Hospital. The pregnancy has been fraught with complications and the couple are hoping that the birth will pass uneventfully, without going into extra-time. For Zoe (35) and Anthony (42), every moment in the delivery suite brings them one step closer to their much longed for baby daughter. It’s taken five years for the couple to conceive, and now they are ready to savour every moment of the labour. But as time ticks on the going gets tougher and tougher, minutes start to feel like hours and tensions start to mount...

This week on One Born Every Minute a farmer brings his lambing skills to Southmead Hospital, a former midwife must take a back-seat in the birth room and an image conscious dad races to get to the hospital in time. Emma (31) and Jordan (33) are dedicated followers of fashion, "he cried on our wedding day because his hair wouldn't go right" says Emma. But Jordan has more than his hair style to contend with as the arrival of their baby almost catches everyone out. Rachel (31) and Nick (36) have waited a long time before trying for another baby as the traumatic memories of their last birth are still raw. Now, 3 years later, the couple are set to return to Southmead for a stress-free labour. But the duo live on a remote farm outside Bristol and when labour kicks in the ambulance must race to reach them before the baby does. When single mum Heidi (32) asks her best friend Lisa Marie and Lisa Marie's mum, Carrie, to be her birthing partners she has no idea what a can of worms she is opening. Carrie, a former midwife herself, must sit on her hands and allow newly qualified midwife, Sacha, to do her job even when the labour stops going according to plan.

This week on One Born Every Minute, it’s fifth time lucky for parents with four sons already, after a tough start, plucky young Liverpudlians refuse to be downhearted and a reluctant mum finally takes the plunge. Antonia (20) met boyfriend, Allan, (23) in a post office queue on Alan’s birthday. He knew instantly that she was the one and Antonia felt like ‘a kid in a sweetshop’. They’ve been there for each other ever since and were thrilled to find out Antonia was expecting. But the twenty week scan revealed potential eyesight and hearing problems for their baby, and now the couple arrive at Southmead delivery suite not really knowing what to expect. Stefanie (33) has always wanted a girl and if her first pregnancy had resulted in a daughter she admits she would have stopped there. Now, four pregnancies and four boys later, Stefanie and partner Scott (35) are back in the delivery room. Stefanie has brought pink clothes, pink shoes and even pink sheets and blankets for the hospital cot. Stef’s mum waits anxiously outside the hospital to find out the all-important sex of latest grandchild. Sophie (24) never really wanted children, but boyfriend Rhys (27) had other ideas, and was delighted when Sophie unexpectedly falls pregnant. Armed with Pringles and sandwiches, Rhys is determined to get involved in the birth, wanting to ‘Grab the baby as it’s coming out’ and ‘Do the bit from the lion king when the monkey holds Simba up..’ But all Sophie really wants is an epidural.

On tonight’s episode, two sets of very different first time parents walk through the doors of the maternity unit, whilst midwife Lara has double the fun delivering twins. Unsuspecting father-to-be, Frank (33) and his partner Shelley (33) waited before starting a family as there never seemed to be a right time. Nine months later Shelley is fully prepared for the birth of their baby but Frank still seems to be oblivious to the task at hand, “I would try and get away with not being there and sitting in the pub”, he says, “but Shelley won’t have that”. He has high hopes that it will all be over and done with in four hours, but as any first time mum will tell you, babies never quite stick to the birth plan. Meanwhile, Elle (27) and Ben (27) have taken the fast track to Central Delivery Suite. Less than a year after a cheeky message on a social network site, the duo are pacing the corridors of Southmead together, discussing baby names and breathing techniques. All this has been quite a shock to Ben, who was still living at home with his mum when he met Elle, but he believes he’s ready, “At the moment, me and Elle are a couple and when we walk out of the hospital we’ll be a family.” Meanwhile, it’s midwife Lara’s birthday and the single mother of two muses on life, love and the benefits of chocolate as she juggles family pressures with the thrills and spills of working in a maternity unit.

On tonight’s episode - the mum who thought she could never have children checks into the labour ward to have her miracle baby, the woman who gave away her eggs only to have problems conceiving herself and the couple whose first date ended so well they moved in together after three days. Stephanie (21) and Tyrone (22) had only been together four months when Stephanie found out that she had blocked fallopian tubes and might never have children. So the duo where shocked and delighted when a nasty tummy bug turned out to be the early stages of pregnancy “I did five pregnancy tests because I didn’t believe any of them”. Steph’s mum joins them for the birth – she may have forgotten the tissues and the water – but she’s armed with advice to help the new parents on their way. When 39 year old Jo turned thirty she thought she’d never find Mr Right and made the decision to donate her eggs. “Selfishly it felt like part of me would be out there if I never gave birth to my on baby”. Little did she know that when she finally meet the man of her dreams, Mark (37), they would actually have problems conceiving themselves. After several rounds of fertility treatment Jo and Mark had their first child and 2 years later they are back at Southmead for a baby number two. But as the labour progresses, the baby’s heart-beat begins to drop and Jo is rushed into theatre. Meanwhile, Chantelle (24) and Steve (41) wile away the hours checking out hospital food and trying out contraction timing aps, as they wait for their third bundle of joy to arrive. The larger than life couple met on Christmas Eve and by new years’ day had moved in together “It’s always been a bit of a hurricane our relationship, but it’s the way we like it”. But can the duo weather out the impending storm of labour?

In the final episode of the current series there’s an extreme case of ‘like mother like daughter’ that means one mother is about to become a Gran aged 40, a career woman finally takes the plunge into motherhood, and an over excited Dad tries his best to keep his bossy boots partner entertained. Martha (21) and Josh (22) have been together for two years, after meeting at Tescos where they both worked. Martha has always wanted to have children young following in the footsteps of mum, Roz, (40) who was in her teens when she had Martha -“I was actually surprised it’s taken her until she turned 21” says Roz. Midwife Jacqui is on hand throughout to offer guidance and support, and sees first-hand the special mother-daughter bond between Martha and Roz, giving her pause to reflect on the difficult relationship she had with her own mother. Steph (33) and Kevin (34) first fell in ‘lust’ whilst at university. Since graduating, careers have always come first but having worked extremely hard for years they’ve decided it’s time to settle down and start a family. Stephanie’s pregnancy happened much quicker than expected and she felt daunted at the prospect of becoming a mother, wondering how much her life would change. With baby’s impending arrival, Steph’s getting ready to embrace reality. In every relationship someone has to wear the trousers and in Jordan’s (31) case it’s definitely his partner Jess (23). Her feisty personality means she often admits to bossing him around – particularly when it comes to doing the cooking and cleaning - “he’s my Cinderella!” says Jess. But life hasn’t always been that easy for tough cookie Jess. She had her first child at age 14 and the lack of support from her mother in the past has meant she has struggled to let her guard down and allow anyone into her life. Jordan’s determined to give Jess and their family all the love and protection they need for a happy future together.

One Born Every Minute returns for a brand new series at Bristol’s Southmead Hospital - home to the busiest maternity unit in the West Country. In the first episode, it’s a day to remember as fourth generation twins make an appearance on the delivery suite, a larger than life double act struggle to see the funny side of their extended labour and an expectant father holds his breath hoping for a boy. Mel (35) is an identical twin. Her father is also a twin, as was her grandmother so it’s incredibly rare that Mel herself would be pregnant with twins - but that’s exactly what’s happened. When Mel’s waters break unexpectedly she invites identical twin sister Sherill to be birthing partner alongside husband Chris (37). Mel says “Before I met Chris, Sherill was probably the only person I was really close to. If I don’t speak to her for a day or two, I feel a bit like I’ve lost something.” Hospital policy states however that only one person can accompany Mel into theatre but will she choose her soul-mate sister or dad to be Chris? Larger-than-life Su (36) felt she’d hit the jackpot when she met younger man Dan (28) and the couple arrive at Southmead in high spirits. Their baby is in breech so they’ve been booked for a caesarean and can’t wait for the little one to arrive. Plans are thrown out the window however when baby decides to move around meaning that the couple are able to have a natural delivery. Su starts to feel incredibly anxious and when Dan goes home for the night nerves start to get the better of her. Katy (30) and Rob (36) met at work and after taking Katy on a fun run for their first date Rob decided that she was the perfect fit. Now however the race is on to make it to the delivery suite before their second child arrives. Katy had planned a long list of jobs to keep Rob busy during the labour but there’s little time for chores as contractions are coming on thick and fast. All Rob can do is stand back, keep quiet and cross his fingers. But will his silent prayers for a son he can play football with be answered?

In this episode a muscle-mad macho man struggles to keep his nerves in check, an expectant dad goes all out to make his wife feel comfortable in the birthing room and a same sex couple are rushed into hospital ten weeks early. Marion (30) and Rachel (32) are like any other couple in their early 30’s trying to start a family - although as Rachel says ‘we can’t just have an early night and make a baby’ so they shopped online for sperm. Using Marion’s eggs they based their decision on which donor had the most similar attributes to Rachel and they ended up with twins. But at their 30 week hospital scan the couple are told that one of the twins is not growing properly and they need to give return to Southmeads the very next day for a C-section. Image-conscious Sarah (28) and personal trainer husband Rob (40) arrive at the delivery suite to begin the induction process. Sarah’s told she’s only allowed one birthing partner and opts for husband over mum - a move she begins to regret as Rob shows signs of impatience. The duo passes the time by discussing baby names but both have very different ideas. Sarah reaches a compromise - if the baby comes before midnight, Rob gets to choose but any time after it’s her decision. The clock is ticking. Meanwhile, attentive husband Ollie (39) and partner Kate (33) arrive at hospital and Ollie’s armed with blankets, rugs and all the essentials to make sure his wife is as comfortable as possible. ‘There’s a real side to Ollie which is quite feminine so he always knows what to say. He says something and you think you really have thought about how I might be feeling’ explains Kate. Kate has opted to have a hypnobirth and Ollie is on hand to ensure everything runs to plan.

Southmead Hospital rolls out the red carpet for a celebrity 'baby'...Baby Spice is coming in to support the maternity unit's charity and her arrival is causing quite a stir. Midwife Sacha in particular is giddy with excitement about meeting her idol, and brings in some treasured Spice Girl memorabilia to get signed. Meanwhile, life goes on in the hospital for three very different mums-to-be. One uses the length of her labour to try and save her relationship, another is driven to distraction by her mother's advice, while a couple who met on the internet wait for their first baby to arrive. When Tina, who's 21, met her partner Craig, who's 32, he advised her to stay away from him. But she was soon pregnant with her first child and then the cracks in their relationship started to show. Tina has been living with her mum ever since but still seeing Craig, and now they are expecting their second child. Tina must decide whether to let Craig into the delivery room and back into her life, or whether they should split up for good. Sarah has come into hospital with her mum Jane. Jane keeps leaving the room for a cigarette and a natter with the nurses and her constant chat is driving Sarah mad. 'She has to speak to everyone; she has to tell them her life story and my life story,' says Sarah. Sarah's labour progresses quickly and she phones around trying to get in touch with the person she does want at the birth: her husband Ben. But he's not answering his phone. After a string of unsuccessful dates, Catherine, who's 33, decided to give internet dating a go, and soon clicked with Phillip, who's 36. They had both ticked the box saying they wanted a family, and now they're at Southmead, eagerly waiting for their family life together to begin.

The hospital corridors at Southmead turn blue as one young mum lets out all of her pent-up frustrations, on-off romancers finally take the plunge after 10 years of indecision, and pregnancy cravings make it into the delivery room. Sooze worked in a children's nursery before starting her own family, and is known for her calm and polite personality. She found the birth of her first child easy and confidently arrives at Southmead with her husband Joe. But the contractions quickly get the better of her, and the woman who's been brought up never to swear is soon running out of F-words. Meanwhile, Teri and Merv are about to have child number four. But cravings have almost got the better of them. They could spend up to two hours driving around Bristol in search of a chilli hot dog. And it has to be the full works, with ketchup, mustard and chilli sauce on top. And it's dad Merv rather than mum Teri who's addicted to the condiment-heavy savoury treat. Becki knew she loved Ian the moment she met him, over 10 years ago, but commitment-phobe Ian threatened to leave her if she ever used the L word. So they began an on/off romance that lasted until Becki's dad had a serious accident at work, when they decided to admit that they loved each other. Now they're nervously waiting for the arrival of their first baby.

This episode is all about making babies. As the midwives say, 'If it wasn't for sex, we wouldn't have a job.' It's a subject they talk about freely between themselves in the wee small hours of the morning. Lovebirds Catherine and her husband Simon found that, when they were trying for their first baby, making love became very mechanical. They went through years of fertility treatment to have their first son, which took a toll on their love life. Five years later, awaiting an elective C-section with their second baby, it's a very different story: a spontaneous romantic night out resulted in an unexpected positive pregnancy test and they feel blessed. When Heather first saw van-man Dan, she thought he was so good looking that she left her number on his windscreen. They've been inseparable ever since and have three young children together. Heather ran into complications during her first pregnancy and had to deliver twins at 24 weeks. They pulled through but cerebral palsy and other issues have meant Heather is now a full-time carer to them both. She is also mum to a healthy little boy, Alfie. After he was born, the couple decided they would have a fourth child so that Alfie could have a healthy companion to help share the responsibility of siblings with a disability. Christian couple Naomi and Dan tied the knot young as 'it was difficult to resist the temptation of sex' when they met as teenagers. They had their first child 13 months ago and now they're back at Southmead for baby number two. While it's clear in the labour room that Naomi wears the trousers, she reveals how a fractured relationship with her own parents makes her value the stability and love Dan provides.

It’s a double first this week as we witness the very first home birth on One Born Every Minute as well as one baby making a surprise arrival in the hospital car-park. Also, a first-time father who used to be homeless dreams of settling down under one roof with his girlfriend. Many challenges lie ahead for young sweethearts Jade (21) and Martyn (25). Ever since they first met, Martyn hasn't had a permanent place to live and has been sofa surfing - spending every night on a different friends’ sofa. Following a disagreement with his own step father causing a rift between the two, Martyn has always wanted to create a strong loving family of his own. And with Jade by his side can't wait to get started. Kerri (27) is set on a homebirth for baby number three having found hospital environments to be quite stressful in the past. Dad Adam (29) however is a lover of hospital meals so is going to take some persuading. Kerry feels she'll be significantly more relaxed at home and is wants to follow in the footsteps of her mum, a keen champion of homebirths. Two midwives from Southmead are on hand to help With five children already and another baby on the way, Claire (40) and Nigel (48) certainly have their hands full. Claire has provided the big family Nigel has always wanted and in return he has given her the dream life she has always fantasised about. "I'm treated like a princess" says Claire of Nigel. Claire is now on her fourth caesarean section has decided that this is definitely it.

This week in Bristol, a startling family secret turns the world of one parent-to-be upside down, another mum considers converting religions to create a much longed for family unit and one couple finally make it to the delivery suite after four years of trying. Emma (17) grew up living with who she thought was her mum, her dad and her sisters. Until, that is, her world turned upside down. Her mum was diagnosed with cancer and this was the point that Emma’s family decided to tell her the truth. She discovered that her sister was in fact, her biological mother, who’d had Emma when she was just 16 years old. Despite the fact history is repeating itself and Emma is about to become a teen mum herself, she’s determined to take a different path and has boyfriend Ben (20) by her side. “The new baby is the end of all the secrets in the family” she promises. Bubbly first time mother Bethany (24) has always wanted to be a mum and when she met Dan (24), she knew she was going to be one very soon. Sadly, nature had other plans for the duo and it’s taken over four emotionally draining years for them to reach the delivery suite. Dan gets bored very easily and passes the time playing a games. Bethany threatens to go and get him a colouring book, but as the labour progresses it’s time for him to grow-up fast and realise the new role that is required of him. Rachel (21) arrives at Southmead with her mum Hilary and her mum’s best friend…but not her partner. He lives in Birmingham and is unlikely to make it for the birth but Rachel’s a strong person, she gets it from her mother. They do everything together and in times of stress she always relies on mum for support. To be with the man she loves however she MAY have to convert religion, move away from home and away from mum and dad - Rachel has some big life decisions to make as she starts a family of her own.

In tonight’s episode all you need is love according to the midwives of Southmead Hospital. A couple who met at the tender age of 8 check in for their second baby twenty years later; a duo who knew it was love at first sight when they locked eyes at Blackpool nightclub are having their first child; and two broody youngsters who dream of starting a dynasty return to Southmead for the third time in three years Sarah (29) and Jonathan (29) met at junior school and were best friends for years until “one thing led to another and hey, presto!” Now they are in hospital expecting their second baby. But Sarah is getting more and more anxious. The memory of her first, rather difficult first labour begins to over-shadow her experience and she starts to lose confidence in her ability to actually give birth. Jonathan must pull out all the stops to keep her panic attacks at bay. Vikki (23) and Jack (26) also met when they were young, but decided to start a family quickly – and a they’re wanting a large one at that. “If we have five children and they each have three, then that will be fifteen grandchildren” Vikki explains. Both had lonely and troubled upbringings so are keen for a big family of their own which they can love and support. Naomi (28) knew that Chris (30) was the man of her dreams as soon as she set eyes on him in a Blackpool nightclub. Until that moment she’d been a quiet, shy girl who’d never done anything adventurous and preferred going to Bingo with her mum. Chris changed all that however and before she knew it, she had followed him back to Bristol. They are about to have their first child together but as Naomi waits for labour to fully kick in she’s going to have to spent a night away from Chris staying overnight at the hospital.

This week on One Born Every Minute the hospital corridors are filled with waiting women in a state of limbo as they await their new arrivals. A couple - both in the nursing profession - hope for a less complicated birth the second time around; an expectant mother who’s baby’s being stubborn talks of overcoming her eating disorder and a mum who is days past her due date and desperate to meet her baby girl paces the hospital hallways; Nicola (31) and Tim (38) both used to work as health care assistants and hit it off immediately when they met on a long nightshift. Now both nurses, it was their medical expertise that helped them recognise when things weren’t going well during the birth of their first baby, which resulted in an emergency c section. They’re hoping baby number two enters the world in a less dramatic style. Third time mum-to-be Laura (29) has lived with the eating disorder Anorexia Nervosa since she was a teenager “It started from a silly comment someone said which was - if I carried on eating like this I’m going get fat. At the time I panicked. I think I was quite a sensitive child so I was prone to it I guess.” At times, Laura was eating little more than an apple or a biscuit a day. When she was 19, she was told she’d never be able to have children because of the damage she’d done to her body, so it was a fantastic surprise to find out she was pregnant. Partner Delroy’s (31) love and support, along with having their two other children, have ultimately helped her battle the demons. They hope that baby number three will be a new start. Tracy (38) and husband Barry (33) met through work. She was a caterer, he worked next door in a recycling plant and they enjoyed regular catch ups over a cup of tea and a bacon sarnie. Neither were in a position to embark on a relationship at the time but Tracy had a soft spot for Barry and often used to ply him with extra foodie freebies as a treat. Years later they met up again and within months Barry and his children had moved in with Tracy and hers. The couple were married and became pregnant with their first child together; a baby girl who will become the eighth member of the combined family household. But, despite being days overdue, baby refuses to make an appearance which leaves the couple endlessly pacing the corridors.

It’s the final episode of the series and it’s all hands on deck. Perhaps it’s the full moon causing all these women to go into labour but one thing’s for sure Southmead Hospital is packed to maximum capacity. The women are coming in thick and fast including a Mormon couple expecting baby number three and nervous first time parents who don’t even know how to change a nappy - will there be enough beds? The midwives are concerned the unit may have to close Oblivious to the busy activities outside her room is practicing Mormon Jennie (29) and her husband Jon (29). Jennie has never said a swear word in her life, not even in labour, and has no idea what effect gas and air would have on her as a form of pain relief because she’s never been drunk. The couple met through their church and it took just six weeks from first date to engagement. They’re now expecting baby number three. Couple Eve (32) and Andy (34) are expecting their first baby and haven’t a clue what to expect, “we’ve got our little dog Reggie who’s our baby at the moment and I think he was our first real transition from no responsibility to some responsibility.” It’s third time lucky for the pair who experienced difficulties during their previous pregnancies. Not sure whether it’s a boy or a girl, they’re excited for their special arrival but as things aren’t moving too quickly they decide to get practicing and learn some tips from the midwife on how exactly to do up a nappy.