Gemma Atkinson says labour that left doctors battling to save her was 'totally worth it'

Gemma Atkinson shared this picture of her with her new baby on Instagram
Gemma Atkinson via Chili Media
Asher McShane21 July 2019
The Weekender

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Soap star Gemma Atkinson has described her difficult medical ordeal while going through labour as "totally worth it".

Gemma suffered dangerous bleeding during the birth of her daughter Mia two-and-a-half weeks ago and needed a team of doctors to save her life.

Atkinson said nine NHS doctors worked to stop the bleeding at the Royal Bolton Hospital in Greater Manchester on July 4.

In a post on Instagram, Atkinson told fans that the ordeal was worth it "when you get your little baby".

In a video to her 1.1 million followers, she added: "I just wanted to say quickly, while Mia is asleep, a massive thank you for all of your messages yesterday.

"It was weirdly quite comforting hearing stories a lot of other women who had experienced the same stuff in labour.

"It's really weird, isn't it? How you can have an amazing, perfect pregnancy and then that happened. You do start thinking: 'Is it something I ate or did?'

"And it's not. It's just nature, you know? So thank you and to anyone else who had the same thing or even worse that makes my labour look like a walk in the park.

"I'm glad that you're all recovering and... yeah it's worth it, isn't it? When you get your little baby."

In another clip - captioned "And it was all totally worth it" - the 34-year-old cradles her child as Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely plays.

On Saturday, the actress posted a candid explanation of her dangerous labour on Instagram, with a picture of her looking weary while holding her newborn child.

Atkinson thanked her partner, Strictly Come Dancing professional Gorka Marquez, and her mother for their care during the ordeal in hospital.

She also said her young daughter can achieve anything after the traumatic introduction to the world, and called her "our little soldier".

Atkinson and 28-year-old Marquez met on Strictly in 2017, when Atkinson was partnered with Aljaz Skorjanec and Marquez was dancing with Alexandra Burke.

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