Dani Harmer has opened up about her terrifying five-day labour, which resulted in an emergency caesarean.
The 36-year-old actor, who is known for her starring role in the CBBC TV adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s novel The Story of Tracy Beaker, welcomed her first child with partner Simon Brough in 2016. They had a second baby, Rowan, in 2022.
Speaking about the “traumatic” birth of her first child, Harmer revealed that she worried for both her baby’s life and her own.
Speaking to Vanessa Feltz on her Channel 5 show, Harmer said: “I had a really traumatic first birth, with my first Avarie-Belle. I was in labour with her for five days which then resulted in an emergency cesarean – which is very different to an elective one.”
She explained: “It was really really scary. Not just for me but for my partner as well. I think it was more traumatic for him because he had to witness the whole thing. And it was scary for him thinking that he might not only lose his baby but he might lose me as well.”
Harmer said she does not remember much of the labour as she was placed on several different drugs by her doctors. “But it was an experience I really didn’t want to have to repeat, so when we fell pregnant with my second, I really wanted to go for an elective caesarean,” she said.
“I found that they were really trying to persuade me to go for a natural birth and I said to them unless you can guarantee me that I’m going to give birth naturally 100 per cent, then otherwise I will want an elective one.”
The star said it took “a really long time to get over” the circumstances of her first child before they decided to have a second.
Rowan was born in February 2022, with the actor having been diagnosed with gestational diabetes a month before she gave birth.
Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that can develop at any time during pregnancy and usually disappears after the baby is born.
“Not quite how I wanted to end this pregnancy but super glad we found out when we did,” Harmer wrote on Instagram at the time. “Newly diagnosed gestational diabetes so any tips are welcome! Sending love to those who’ve had it throughout their pregnancy.”
Vanessa airs on Channel 5 on weekdays at 11.30am.
