The second episode of the six-part series airs on Thursday evening.
This week in the Rotunda, Dublin mother-of-two, Olivia attempts to go through the gruelling experience of childbirth drug-free, while doctors in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit attempt to save the life of baby Michael, born weighing just 395 grams.
While many babies born this early do survive, Michael – born at 24 weeks – also suffered from growth restriction in the womb which means his chances of survival are lessened.
The Rotunda, which was filmed 24 hours a day for a total of 21 days, brings viewers unprecedented access to the workings of the maternity hospital, from going inside the operating theatre and watching the miracle of birth in the labour ward to meeting the baker who makes the cupcakes the hospital gifts to the parents of newborns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZydwMvjc3nE
Clip via The Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
This week's episode also follows Mother of four Nikita who quickly has to get used to the idea of a male midwife delivering her fifth child and Brazilian couple João and Marianna anxiously await the arrival of their first child together who appears to be in no hurry to join them.
The second episode of The Rotunda airs Thursday 20 September on RTÉ2 at 9.30pm.
