One born every 83 minutes in new TV show

BBC documentary goes behind the scenes in Manchester maternity ward

If you’re planning an evening in front of the telly tonight, we would highly recommend you to stock up on tissues as the BBC launches a new documentary series that could rival One Born Every Minute for weepy potential.

Midwives: Delivering Under Pressure takes a look at the Central Delivery Unit in Saint Mary’s hospital in Manchester, one of the busiest labour wards in the country which delivers on average one baby every 83 minutes.

The first episode, airing on BBC Two tonight at 9pm, shows the hospital’s dedicated team of staff balancing the hectic demands of a busy unit with giving personal care to each mum and the unpredictable nature of the birth experience.

And as you would expect from such an exciting and poignant subject matter, it’s an action packed hour which will have viewers laughing, crying and most likely feeling inspired by the challenging and rewarding work carried out every day by the midwifery team.

One word of caution; squeamish viewers should probably avoid attempting a TV dinner for the duration of the programme…