Call the Midwife – Season 9, Episode 7

By starrymag | May 17, 2020

By: Ellie Dolan-Yates

 

 

Dr Turner (Stephen McGann) congratulates Dr Kevin McNulty (Lee Armstrong) on his first delivery using forceps and thanks him for taking the surgery that afternoon. In the afternoon the new incubator is being unveiled. The Cubs wheel it in and Shelagh (Laura Main) thanks everyone for helping to raise the money for the incubator. Violet (Annabelle Apsion) cuts the ribbon with her “special ceremonial shears” and the incubator is unveiled.

 

At the clinic a married couple approach Shelagh. Noticing that the expectant mother is blind, Shelagh asks Stewart (Dylan Llewellyn) for his wife Marion’s (Ellie Wallwork) details. Marion says she’s very good at talking for herself and tells Stewart that he can leave her to it and she’ll meet him later. Shelagh offers Marion a hand with finding her co-op card, but Marion says, unlike most women, she knows how to find everything in her handbag. Marion says that she wants to register at the surgery as she isn’t happy with how her usual surgery has been treating her.

 

Trixie (Helen George) examines Marion. Marion asks if Trixie has looked after a blind mother before. Trixie says she hasn’t, but she’s lost count of the amount of mothers she’s looked after. Trixie says they will do everything to help Marion, but Marion says she doesn’t need help. Trixie reminds her that most new mothers need support. Trixie explains that one of the midwives will can show Marion around the maternity home, but Marion wants a home birth. Trixie says that the home will need assessing, not just because Marion is blind but because that’s the protocol for all new mothers wanting a home birth.

 

When Dr Turner returns to the surgery he asks Kevin why he admitted an expectant mother, Yvonne (Sophie Melville). Kevin explains that she has a severe UTI and Dr Turner says he did the right thing. He asks if Yvonne mentioned her husband. Apparently, things aren’t great at home as he’s an alcoholic. Dr Turner says Yvonne needs someone who will take an interest in her general well-being rather than just handing out pills. Speaking of pills, he notices Kevin is holding a bottle of Pethidine. Kevin explains that they’re for an old shoulder injury. Dr Turner advises him to see a physiotherapist.

 

As they walk home from the surgery,Sister Frances (Ella Bruccoleri) tells Kevin that she often walks her bike home as it gives her chance to slow down and think. Kevin can’t resist the smell of the chips from the fish and chip van, but Frances says she’s only allowed to eat at the Nonnatus House dining table. With the nun’s rules not applying to him, Kevin heads to the van.

 

At Nonnatus House Lucille (Leonie Elliott) notices that there’s something not right with Phyllis (Linda Bassett). Phyllis admits that she’s finding it a bit much taking the Cubs now that Sergeant Woolf isn’t around to help. At the dinner table Kevin’s chips are the envy of everyone, except Trixie because she doesn’t want the chips to go to her hips. Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) can’t resist pinching one though, for historical research purposes of course.

 

Marion’s sister, Beryl (Lucy Briggs-Owen), pays her a visit. It turns out that Beryl isn’t too keen on Marion having a baby. Marion argues she’s more than capable of caring for the baby, but Beryl doesn’t agree. Trixie arrives for the home assessment and also disagrees with Beryl. However, Beryl says that she will go to Social Services. Trixie makes Marion a cup of tea and commends her on her knitting skills. Marion explains how Stewart has the house all ready for when the baby comes and he’s saved up all of the holidays from his job as a bus driver so he can be around when the baby comes. Trixie shares with Marion that she’s entitled to Home Help, but Marion tells Trixie that she doesn’t want strangers looking after her child.

 

At the maternity ward it’s clear that Yvonne doesn’t want to go home. Kevin tells her that she can share with them if something is happening as it will be entirely confidential. However, Yvonne says that she’s just enjoying the peace and quiet.  Yvonne’s very drunk husband, Victor (Ciarán Owens), barges into the surgery. As he makes his way to the maternity ward Miss Higgins tells Kevin that they have a “situation.” Kevin goes after Victor and asks him to leave. Victor refuses and sits on Yvonne’s bed, nearly falling on her bump. Kevin loses it and grabs Victor, but Miss Higgins arrives just in time to say she’s called the police. Kevin apologizes for losing his temper, but Yvonne says he won’t be the one suffering for it.

 

Lucille finds Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) waiting for her outside Nonnatus House. As they talk Phyllis passes them without saying hello. Cyril asks Lucille what’s wrong. Lucille explains that Phyllis is finding running the Cubs difficult on her own. Cyril says that they should help her…together. Inside Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) tells Trixie that she’s had a call from Social Services about Marion and that they will be obliged to notify them as soon as the baby is born.

 

The next day Trixie visits Marion to help her prepare for the visit from Social Services. Marion has no trouble with washing the doll’s face and wetting its hair. However, when she goes to pick the soap up to wash its hair it slips from her hand. Marion picks it up, but as she gets back up she bangs the doll’s head on the table. She tells Trixie that she can do it, but having Trixie watching her is putting her off.

 

Kevin makes an excuse to get some air, but Frances says that Yvonne has gone into labor. She asks Kevin if he will sign out and prepare 50mg of Pethidine for Yvonne. Kevin obviously obliges and whilst he’s at it he signs out another 50mg that he puts in his inside pocket. Kevin is particularly shaky as Yvonne goes into labor. Frances leaves to grab some towels and returns to Yvonne screaming, “Why has he cut me?!” It doesn’t look good. There’s a lot of blood and, after calling for Dr Turner, Frances takes over the birth. Dr Turner arrives as Yvonne is holding her baby and says he’s glad Kevin seems to have everything under control. Frances doesn’t say anything about what actually happened. Back at Nonnatus House Kevin tries to explain that he thought an episiotomy was best for Yvonne. Frances tells him it was an unnecessary risk.

 

Across town Marion gives birth to a baby girl, Rosemary. She asks Stewart what color Rosemary’s hair is and he tells her it’s dark like hers. Marion says she’s beautiful. Trixie feeds Rosemary as Marion sleeps. Trixie says that Stewart needs to persuade Marion to accept help, but he isn’t keen. Trixie says they will need to if they don’t want Social Services getting involved. Thinking that Marion is asleep, Trixie tells Stewart that Beryl has told Social Services that Marion isn’t fit to be a mother. However, Marion overhears and begs for Trixie not to let them take her baby.

 

The next day Marion is refusing to hand Rosemary to Stewart or Trixie, despite the fact she needs changing. She’s convinced they’re going to take her away. Stewart heads out for a walk as he doesn’t want to say anything he will regret. Marion attempts to breastfeed. Beryl arrives and claims she never meant for any of this to happen. She explains that her and Marion were just kids when their mum died and she had to look after Marion. Beryl says she would have never forgiven herself if anything had happened to Marion and she doesn’t want Marion to feel that way. Marion agrees to let Beryl come in for five minutes and asks if she’d like to hold Rosemary but Beryl says it’s best she doesn’t.

 

Valerie (Jennifer Kirby) is worried about her grandma in prison. She’s desperate to see her, but also dreading it. When visiting her grandma (Ann Mitchell), Valerie notices that she’s lost weight and is looking pale. On her next visit she takes her some fairy cakes. Her grandma reluctantly takes a bite and it becomes clear that something is wrong. She struggles to painfully swallow the cake. Valerie says she needs to see a doctor, but her grandma refuses.

 

Trixie teaches Marion how to pin a nappy together, but Marion pricks her finger causing it to bleed. The more Trixie teaches the couple, the more worried Stewart looks. He suggests to Marion that maybe they should get help, but she says it shows they’re giving in. Stewart asks Marion to not make things harder than they already are and she tells him to leave. With Stewart out, Marion tries to prepare a bath for Rosemary but she misses the tub pouring water on her hand and dropping the glass jug. With Rosemary crying, Marion tries to get to her. She walks bare foot over the broken glass and a particularly sharp shard pierces the sole of her foot. Luckily, Trixie arrives.

 

Victor turns up at the maternity ward, whisky bottle in hand. Dr Turner asks him to leave. With Victor gone, Dr Turner tells Yvonne that it might be best for her to stay with a relative. Thankfully, she says she has an aunt in Margate, but asks Dr Turner and Frances to not tell Victor where she’s gone. When Dr Turner leaves, Yvonne asks Frances if she will tell him about Kevin. Yvonne doesn’t know whether they should.

 

As Trixie bandages Marion’s feet Stewart says that there’s no shame in getting help. Marion says that she doesn’t want strangers helping, although she likes Trixie. Trixie suggests asking if Beryl can help. Trixie arranges for Beryl to meet them all at the house of another blind mother, Peggy (Amy Forrest). Peggy shows Marion all the tricks she can use such as having bells on her kids so she knows where they are and using nappies with clips. She does a good job of convincing Beryl that being blind doesn’t mean you can’t look after a baby.