Mum's lockdown home birth to feature on Emma Willis TV show
Elisha Harris with baby Maeva Harris-Page, who was born at home during lockdown - Credit: CHARLOTTE BOND
A new mum will share her lockdown home birth experience with the nation after filming for Emma Willis: Delivering Babies.
Ashley and Elisha holding Maeva after their home birth - Credit: Elisha Harris
Elisha Harris, her fiancé Ashley and their son Theo, spent several months filming every moment of life leading up to the birth of baby Maeva in June.
The mum had applied for the show 'Emma Willis: Delivering Babies' on a whim, wanting to share her experience of having a home birth, and was surprised when the production team got back to her with the news her family would be taking part.
Elisha Harris with baby Maeva Harris Page, son Theo and partner Ashley Page, they will be starring in Emma Willis: Delivering Babies on March 1 - Credit: CHARLOTTE BOND
Previous seasons of the show have seen former model Willis train to become a maternity care assistant, eventually getting her certificate at Harlow's Princess Alexandra Hospital in 2019.
Elisha and Ashley have been dating since the age of 15, when they were both attending Stoke High School in Ipswich, and had their first son Theo when they were 17.
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Now 26, they knew they wanted a home birth for Maeva but the pandemic threatened their plan. Ipswich Hospital were forced to cancel their service due to Covid pressures so instead the couple hired a private midwife.
"Home birth has been a much more popular choice and we wanted to highlight that you can do it safely," Elisha said. "It was a really lovely and very different experience which I wanted after having a quite traumatic hospital birth with Theo.
Elisha Harris and partner Ashley Page with their children Maeva and Theo - Credit: CHARLOTTE BOND
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"I wanted to let my body do its own thing and I was a bit nervous, but we got some advice from Emma when we did a call with her so that was really nice."
The couple had a busy life with Ashley working at Felixstowe Docks and Elisha previously holding down a full time banking job in London, and say fitting in filming around their busy lifestyle was a challenge even in lockdown.
They recorded all their antenatal appointments during the pregnancy and made vlogs, giving eight-year-old Theo a taste of life as a YouTube star.
Baby Maeva Harris-Page with brother Theo, who said filming vlogs made him feel like a YouTuber - Credit: CHARLOTTE BOND
Maeva Harris-Page was born on June 18, weighing 8lbs 7oz, and the family's story will feature in episode three of the series, due to air on Monday, March 1.
