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Modern Midwives Blog
If you found an injured bird on the sidewalk, would you take it home to care for it?
For anyone who knows and loves Fred Buckle as much as we do, it's no surprise that’s precisely what the soft-hearted East Ender did. When he spots a helpless pigeon outside his storefront, he scoops it up immediately and brings it to safety. After all, a little bit of love can go a long, long way.
But Fred does a lot more in this episode than nurse a bird back to health – and the midwives of Nonnatus House are working around the clock, too. Read on to catch up on what happens in Poplar this week.
Another day, another never-ending list of patients to treat in Poplar. But never fear! Joyce always seems ready for a challenge, no matter how much she has on her plate. This week, she’s assigned to check in on Mr. Cottered, an older gentleman living in the Robin Hood Estates who is recovering from prostate surgery.
At Sister Veronica’s request, Joyce also agrees to call in on Narys Williams, a recently widowed mother of three young children, during her visit. The family has just relocated from a homeless hostel.
When Joyce arrives at the Robin Hood Estates, she discovers the building is in a dilapidated, neglected state. The conditions are specifically detrimental for Mrs. Williams and her children, who call a one-room apartment home. While Joyce tends to the youngest child’s diaper rash, she tries to assure the overwhelmed Mrs. Williams that she can see the mother is doing the best she can.
Things don’t seem much better for the disgruntled Mr. Cottered, either. He’s far from being a beacon of positivity – and honestly, it’s rather understandable. The Council moved him to this “new” flat, much to his dissatisfaction, following his prostate surgery. On top of the fact that it’s deluged in dampness and dreariness, his water heater doesn’t even work….
All in all, Mr. Cottered doesn’t hesitate with being rude and slightly racist toward Joyce. At least all seems to be okay with his catheter?
Before Joyce leaves, Mr. Cottered asks her to get him some groceries to bring on her next visit. Joyce obliges, but soon after, she witnesses him lash out at the noise coming from upstairs… the Williams’ young children.
Joyce immediately reminds her patient that Mrs. Williams is doing her best. It does no harm to extend compassion to the family, and as Joyce articulates, “kindness costs nothing.”
Preparing for a baby’s arrival into the world is a stressful matter for all parents, regardless of one’s background or history. Fortunately, the midwives of Nonnatus House offer an excellent “Pregnancy Relaxation Course” to guide patients on how to reduce worry going into these big changes.
This week, Shelagh meets Nora and Don Lasley, two cheerful, well-to-do parents expecting their first child together. As Shelagh begins the course, she explains to the mothers and partners that the key to relaxation is to draw on one’s inner sense of calm.
Later, Rosalind visits the Lasley household to check up on Nora. Rosalind confirms that Nora can expect to go into labor sooner rather than later…
As a new dawn descends upon Poplar, Mrs. Williams quietly says goodbye to her sleeping children and sneaks out of her flat. But where is the anxious mother going at this hour?
Meanwhile, Joyce pops by Fred’s convenience store to pick up some of Mr. Cottered’s groceries. Oddly enough, Fred can guess Joyce’s patient by her selections. In fact, before his operation, Mr. Cottered used to come into Fred’s store every day like “clockwork,” but since then, Fred hasn’t seen him.
Joyce explains how she suspects Mr. Cottered is likely hardened from loneliness. As a suggestion, Fred offers to stop by and visit in the hopes that his presence could provide some comfort. Joyces agrees it could be just what the doctor ordered – especially if Fred brings his toolbox.
Fast forward to later in the day, and Joyce assesses Mr. Cottered. Once again, he remains as bothered as ever by the wails and crying from the Williams’ flat.
When Joyce leaves Mr. Cottered’s apartment, she runs into Mrs. Williams dashing inside. Immediately, Joyce puts two and two together and realizes the children have been left alone.
Joyce learns Narys picked up a job serving meals to night shift workers. The position is only for two hours in the early morning so that she’s able to get back before for kids wake up. However, this morning, the kitchen supervisor made Narys and other employees stay back, causing a delay in her return.
Like before, Joyce is supportive and empathetic to the mother’s predicament but insists that this set-up can’t go on. Narys agrees and pleads with the nurse not to report her to the authorities….
As Rosalind predicted, Mrs. Lasley goes into labor soon after her last check-up. The prepared mother is ushered into the maternity ward where Rosalind receives her, and Norma gives birth to… a baby girl!
But once the newborn is in Rosalind’s hands, the nurse realizes something is wrong: a significant blister rests on the baby’s back. The nurse urgently rings for Dr. Turner.
When Dr. Turner assesses the baby, he suspects the little Lasley has spina bifida. The diagnosis means the newborn will require surgery at St. Cuthbert’s, pronto.
Upon learning the news, the Lasleys are devastated and concerned. Norma insists they need their child to be “normal” and able to walk – but for now, Dr. Turner can’t provide any assurance. Instead, all everyone can do is wait.
The much-anticipated showdown between the Board of Health and Nonnatus House is finally here. Well, almost here.
Sister Julienne calls Trixie into her office to discuss their strategy for the big day. The best course of action is to have Trixie act as the sole representative of Nonnatus House. By presenting a “secular’ representative, the Board won’t be able to argue that Nonnatus House is strictly a religious organization.
Despite her relief to have Trixie’s full support, Sister Julienne still can’t help but feel hurt by the whole ordeal. As she reminds Trixie, Sisters from the Order have acted as nurses in Poplar for more than 100 years and it’s difficult to believe that they’re suddenly no longer wanted.
But Trixie contends the Board of Health does in fact need the midwives of Nonnatus House, but that the members are frightened by what drives the Sisters: their religious devotion.
At the end of the day, though, the contributions of Nonnatus House cannot go unnoticed – and that is what Trixie intends to articulate.
As promised, Fred drops by the Robin Hood Estates to visit Mr. Cottered. In a touching gesture, Fred remembers to bring over his former customer’s signature shop order (and on the house, too!).
Fred, having brought his toolbox, gets to work repairing some of the damaged equipment and furniture in the flat. He makes some significant progress, but the issue of the broken water heater is still prominent. The task is out of Fred’s skill set, but he tells Mr. Cottered he will try to find someone to look at it.
As the day comes to a close, it’s time for Fred to return home. Although Mr. Cottered puts on a stern, hardened face, he’s undoubtedly comforted by Fred’s company, and before seeing him leave, gives Fred an earnest “thank you.”
Later on, Fred continues to nurse his injured pigeon at home – on the kitchen table no less, much to Violet’s vexation. After her plucky response, Fred can’t help but express his gratitude for his wife and the love he has in his life. Not everyone is as lucky.
Meanwhile, over at the maternity ward, the Lasleys remain despondent over their child’s medical diagnosis. Nora, in particular, displays a strong sense of guilt: What could she have done differently?
But as Rosalind reminds her, the baby’s condition is not Nora’s fault – it’s nobody’s fault – and oftentimes, the reasoning behind these outcomes has no discernible answers. For now, though, the baby has to be transferred to St. Cuthberts for surgery. In the interim, all the parents can do is hope their daughter undergoes a successful operation.
However, when Rosalind stops by Nora’s bed the next day, she finds the mother packing up her bags to leave. In a surprising turn of events, Nora and Don have made the heartbreaking decision that they’re unable to care for their disabled child. Rosalind begs the two of them to take some time to reconsider their position, but they’re both resolute in their stances.
With the Lasleys seemingly out of the picture, Sister Veronica, Rosalind, and Shelagh agree they need to call social services. But what they learn from the organization’s representative, Ms. Jenkins, is that Baby Lasley doesn’t necessarily qualify for help. Due to Social Services’ limited resources and the Lasley’s prosperous socio-economic status, Ms. Jenkins and her colleagues are reluctant to get involved.
Instead, the focus must turn to persuading the parents to reconsider their position… an ask that, by all stretches of the imagination, is easier said than done.
Dr. Turner receives word from St. Cuthbert’s that the operation for Baby Lasley was a success. With still no communication from the Lasleys, Sister Veronica elects to visit them.
The next day, Rosalind and Sister Veronica assure Nora that she wouldn't be alone in caring for her baby and that raising her child at home would be the best outcome. But Nora pushes back at this claim – she believes she can’t give her baby the attention that she would need. What Nora wants is to have more children, and the reality is that she’s “not getting any younger.”
On their way out of the Lasley’s residence, the two midwives run into Don Lasley. He tells the women that they must think he and his wife are terrible people, to which Sister Veronica reminds him, “God doesn’t judge,” and neither will she.
Don seems appreciative of the Sister’s words, but deep down he knows he will never truly be able to move on from this decision.
On a lighter note, the medical office welcomes a new invention, thanks to Shelagh. Introducing… the electric coffee percolator!
Upon seeing the newfangled contraption, Miss Higgins is baffled, to say the least. Of course, one of her many responsibilities is brewing Dr. Turner’s cup of coffee every morning. Is this fancy machine really supposed to take over this important task? How preposterous! (Admittedly, change is hard for everyone, but deep breaths… deep breaths.)
While enjoying his fresh cup of coffee – yes, provided by the percolator – Dr. Turner shares with his colleagues that St. Cuthbert is happy with Baby Lasley’s progress. Because the Lasley parents are still out of the picture, Dr. Turner and the midwives will care for the little one while things are still sorted out.
But a more pressing matter remains: Baby Lasley’s name. Considering she was born in the month of June, Miss Higgins and Sister Veronica agree that “June” is a lovely solution.
Even though June has no parents at the time being, all the midwives take turns checking up and comforting the baby. It’s a sight that warms the heart.
It’s not your typical afternoon when you see a building explode, but such is the case for Joyce when she stops by the Robin Hood Estate. Fortunately, the nurse is unscathed, but panic in the apartment complex escalates quickly as residents fight their way out of the chaos.
Joyce helps shepherd people from the crumbling building, and soon, Fred is on the scene to assist. As the mayhem unfolds, Joyce witnesses a distressed Mrs. Williams sprint toward the building. Her children are alone in the apartment, and she's desperate to reach them, but Joyce stops her. Instead, Fred charges inside to retrieve them!
When Fred reaches the Williams’ flat, he finds Mr. Cottered in the room trying to comfort the youngsters. That’s right – after all the time spent disparaging the family, Mr. Cottered’s first instinct was to protect the kids.
Fred rushes to bring the three children to safety and promises he’ll come back to get Mr. Cottered. Fortunately, a group of firefighters are able to bring Mr. Cottered out of the burning building. As he’s carried to the ambulance, Mrs. Williams dashes over to his side to thank him for his heroism.
After a long day of heroic measures, Fred enjoys a cup of tea brewed by Violet. The Tower Hamlets mayor is relieved her husband has suffered no injuries from the explosion. However, she tells Fred, “If your primal instinct could direct you away from explosions in the future, I’d be very grateful for it.”
At Nonnatus House, the midwives discuss the cause of the explosion – Mr. Cottered’s defective water heater. However, because there were no serious injuries as a result of the incident, there will be no investigative inquiry made. Once again, the local authorities have found a way to come up short. But as Sister Julienne tells her colleagues, the research Trixie has conducted into The Council’s cost-cutting only indicates the people of Poplar cannot do without Nonnatus House.
Out of everyone present at the explosion, the Williams family arguably endured the most acute stress. Narys confesses to Joyce that she was back at her job on the morning of the explosion – but she had kept her promise and quit! However, her boss threatened to withhold her wages if she didn’t work through her notice, which was why her children were alone again.
Joyce can’t help but feel a sense of regret and guilt for not reporting Williams' situation to the authorities sooner. She tells Rosalind that she saw something of her own childhood in the Williams family which clouded her decisions.
Yet, as Rosalind assures her friend, it’s only natural to have one’s personal history influence one’s choices. Just because this happens doesn’t make her any less of a professional – it makes her a “kindhearted” and “human” one.
Despite all of Sister Veronica and Rosalind’s efforts, they’re unable to persuade the Lasleys to change their minds. However, Don and Nora give the Sister a letter addressed to their daughter, intended to be read when she’s grown. Sister Veronica, still heavy-hearted over the situation, promises to take care of the letter in the meantime.
With no word from Social Services since the previous discussion, Sister Veronica turns to Sister Julienne for advice. Since options are limited, only one solution seems feasible: bringing June to the Mother House orphanage.
Sister Veronica is crushed that there’s nothing else they can do to help June, but Sister Julienne assures her colleague that she has undoubtedly gone above the call of duty.
It’s not an easy decision, but Sister Veronica chooses to accompany little June to the orphanage. As the other midwives watch them depart, Rosalind rushes up to the car window and hands Sister Veronica an adorable stuffed animal.
Even though June’s future is filled with uncertainty, she will always have the midwives of Nonnatus House rooting for her.
When in doubt, start with a well-tailored costume. For Trixie, that means a Bergdorf Goodman blue blazer that gives her "a bit more backbone" and a good pair of heels that help her "walk taller." Add a last-minute pep talk from Sister Julienne and Nurse Crane for an extra boost of confidence, and she’s ready to take on the Board of Health.
Trixie presents her well-articulated argument before the council, backed with substantial facts and statistics. For example, last year, Nonnatus House made 817 midwifery-related house calls – a total that exceeded Council provision by 16% whilst costing the district 42% less.
What the midwives carry out every day isn’t passion, rather it’s public service and pragmatism. And while the Board of Health tries to invoke Nonnatus House’s religious ties as grounds for concern, Trixie reminds the members that more than half the personnel are secular.
That’s right. Poplar simply cannot function without the contributions of Nonnatus House, especially their vow of poverty.
After some deliberation among the board members, Trixie receives the good news: Nonnatus House will live to see another day. Justice has been restored!
In an optimistic turn of events, Mrs. Williams and her children receive some much-needed financial support from the Child Welfare Office. Good riddance to the Robin Hood Estates, and hello to livable conditions!
Narys has even found some job opportunities that fit around her children. Even though the young family has been through so much, they’ve managed to find a promising way to start again. Good things can come out of tragedy.
As for Mr. Cottered, he seems to have landed back on his feet following the Robin Hood explosion, and he’s back to his usual routine. Sporting his cheeriest temperament, he drops into the convenience store to pick up his usual order and shares a lovely moment with Fred and Joyce.
And last, but certainly not least: Fred’s pigeon is ready to leave the nest. After nurturing and tending to his beloved bird, Fred realizes it is time to send them back into the wild. So long, feather friend.
Forgot how we got here? Catch up on “Call the Midwife” with the Season 14, Episode 2 Recap.
