Gemma Atkinson reflects on traumatic birth
The former soap star underwent an emergency C-section last July.
Gemma Atkinson has opened up to the latest issue of Women’s Health magazine about the birth her daughter Mia. The actress was “completely floored” by an unplanned for C-section, with the pain seeing her unable to brush her hair.
“The C-section completely floored me; I couldn’t brush my hair I was in so much pain,” she disclosed to the publication. “It wasn’t sensible to start exercising until around 15 weeks after Mia was born.”
Posing confidently on the front cover of April 2020’s edition of the magazine, Gemma further noted that her post-birth body isn’t any “better or worse” than it was before.
“It’s changed after having a baby … my body is not better or worse, just different. Maybe it’s important to show that to other women? I was always straight up and down, like a surfboard, but now I’ve got a bit of a waist. When I put on high-waisted jeans, you can see I’ve got hips. I reckon I’m about 3 per cent J-Lo now, so I’m happy with that.” – Gemma Atkinson
Gemma is best known for her roles of Lisa Hunter in Channel 4 saga Hollyoaks, Tamzin Bayle in BBC One medical drama Casualty and Carly Hope in ITV soap Emmerdale. She was also a finalist on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 where she met her partner Gorka Marquez, who is one of the professional dancers on the programme.
The star previously shared details of her less-than-ideal labour experience via Instagram, revealing: “I was having a haemorrhage. A big one. I lost a lot of blood. Mia was a tiny baby, 4lb 10 [and] the midwife was concerned she wouldn’t be strong enough to open my cervix. My water broke on a Tues and we gave her the benefit of the doubt but by Wednesday evening despite her being in the perfect place and 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 [my] midwife pressed the panic alarm and within 15 mins I was rushed out, prepped & delivered Mia via an emergency C section.”
