Most women in labour probably wouldn’t fancy having a room full of people looking at them while they push.
But if you’re giving birth to a blue-blooded baby, things look a little different.
When the Duchess of Cambridge was pregnant before, on both occasions, she had a large team of experts on stand-by, who were on call for three months before the birth. As well as this, there was another stand-by team ready to step in too, in case extra help was needed.
According to Marie Claire, Professor Tiong Ghee Teoh, a gynaecologist and consultant obstetrician, was part of Kate’s large ‘back-up’ team previously, and she recently revealed what really happened behind the scenes when the Duchess was expecting.
The Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London where Kate will give birth.“We had a huge team,” Professor Teoh said at a garden party at Buckingham Palace, where medical staff who were involved in the births of the royal babies were invited as a thank-you for their hard work.
“Anything that could possibly go wrong, we had a team of people behind each speciality.”
Dr Johanna Bray, an anaesthesiologist at St Mary’s Hospital, explained what is was like being part of the Royal birth team, saying, “You never know when you need to be called. You need to be in town and available. If you are at a party you need to have your car keys at the ready. No drinking!”
The extensive team of experts, who according to Professor Tiong Ghee Teoh met once a month in the lead up to the birth to discuss the upcoming event, comprised of two obstetricians, three midwives, three anaesthetists, four theatre staff, two special care baby unit staff, four paediatricians, one lab technician and three to four hospital managers.
Wow. It makes One Born Every Minute seem so casual and laid-back, really.
But despite being on constant stand-by for three months, in the end, Professor Teoh’s services weren’t required. She explained the Duchess’s births (in 2013 and 2015) were very straightforward, so the back-up teams were not needed.
“She is a fit young lady and that’s the most important thing,” he said. “They are the best patients.”
Not a bother on her for baba number three so.
