GEMMA Atkinson revealed that she woke up screaming about her daughter being stolen after her traumatic birth.
The actress, 37, and fiance Gorka Márquez welcomed their first child Mia back in 2019.
Gemma needed an emergency C-section when doctors realised Mia’s heart rate had dropped and the former Hollyoaks star lost nearly a litre of blood after suffering a from a haemorrhage.
She has been very honest and open about her difficult experience and recently spoke about it on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch.
Gemma said: “All these things were going through my mind, what did I do that caused all that to happen? I was telling myself for weeks and weeks I’d failed at childbirth.
“I was having horrible dreams that someone was going to take Mia from me…
“I remember my mum running in my bedroom and I was sat up screaming, sweating.”
But things started to look up when Mia was eight-weeks-old.
She explained: “We went out with the pram and a lady said, ‘Oh I believe it [the birth] wasn’t a success was it, you know, what happened?’
“My mum piped up and said, ‘It was a huge success, Mia’s there, Gemma’s here, total success.’
“Something clicked in me then, my body had done me proud because it had recovered and got me through.”
Despite going through such a hard time, Gemma thinks she’s now ready to have another child.
Gemma added: “I’m at the stage where I want a sister or bother for Mia.
“The first few months of Mia’s life, I kept saying to my partner, Gorka, I’m not going through that again. I’ve now come of it and I feel I could.”
Weeks after giving birth the star explained that nine doctors batted to save her life while Gorka sobbed in the corner.
The telly star said: “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!”
She added: “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.”
Mia was born on July 4, 2019.
Gemma and beau Gorka revealed that they were expecting a baby on February 1, 2019.
The pair announced the big news on Instagram by sharing a photograph of Gemma’s dogs, Norm and Ollie.
One had a sign around its neck, which read: “Guess what… Mum’s pregnant!” while the other wore one that said: “We’re going to be big brothers!”
The couple met on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.
They went official with their relationship on Valentines Day 2018.
Steph’s Packed Lunch airs weekdays at 12.30pm on Channel 4 and All 4
