Olivia Bowen reveals terrifying moment she suffered major haemorrhage during traumatic birth

Olivia Bowen has shared the ‘really scary’ moment doctors told her she had suffered a ‘major haemorrhage’ following the traumatic birth of her child.

The Love Island star, 31, who met her husband Alex, 34, on the reality series, gave birth to her baby daughter Siena in August.

However, during their new show on ITV2 , Olivia and Alex: Parenthood, the couple – who are already parents to their three-year-old son Abel – revealed how Olivia almost died while having a C-section.

The 31-year-old originally planned to have a home birth, but after 10 hours she felt that something was wrong and was rushed to A&E in an ambulance. 

After reaching the hospital, she was told that her bladder had ‘fallen down into my cervix and was obstructing the exit for the baby’.

She explained: ‘I was really scared, its a surgery and its a big thing and its not the easy was out. She came out crying which was incredible and beautiful and I had her on my face and I started to feel dizzy. 

‘The nurse started calling out how much blood I was loosing and all I could hear was 1.5, 1.6, 1.7 and it was going up and up quickly and the fear sunk in really quickly, it was really scary.

‘They started yelling, major haemorrhage across all the surgery room and that’s all I remember.’

She continued: ‘There was doctors in and out and no one was telling me what was going on. I felt so sick and dizzy and Alex said the blood just drained from me. 

‘I remember thinking don’t close your eyes because I thought I’d pass out or even worse. It was very close. I ended up losing 2.8 litres of blood and you only have 4.5 litres so the blood loss… to feel that you are that close to losing your life, was very very scary.’ 

Olivia went on to explain how she was not able to drive for six weeks after her operation and with the amount of blood she lost it would take ‘three month until I feel like myself again’.

Speaking during the programme, Alex explained: ‘Yeah its the worse thing I’ve ever seen and never want to go through it again.’

Taking to social media, fans praised Olivia for her bravery and openness, with @frankiethorne.x writing: ‘You’re the bravest woman! ❤️ such a lovely family! So excited for your book to come out 😍❤️’

@rebeccagxo__ added: ‘Watched it and wow that was so intense 😳 Glad everything and everyone was ok! 😢❤️’

@misstamills also wrote: ‘Watched it and cried my eyes out! Such a beautiful family 🥰’

@jadeorrinx said: ‘I actually got teary watching Olivia in labour, as I felt her pain….a pain you never forget. @oliviadbowen you are the most amazing mum & one strong woman.’

@leahadcock24289 added: ‘Cried cried and cried some more. Love watching you guys 🥰🥰.’

Meanwhile, @lucyparker93 wrote: ‘Loved this episode, very emotional real and honest. Most women have a traumatic birth or pregnancy and it was inspiring to see how strong & positive you are @oliviadbowen.’

In March, Olivia and Alex revealed that they had been expecting twins, but lost one of their babies eight weeks into the pregnancy.

Olivia explained how she suffered Vanishing Twin Syndrome (VTS), a condition in which one embryo is lost early on, leaving just one developing fetus.

Vanishing Twin Syndrome, which effects around 36% of twin pregnancies, is usually caused by DNA abnormalities in one twin. It can happen without any symptoms, and that was the case for Olivia – who only learned of the loss at a scan.

She previously shared how the loss effected her mental health: ‘I have battled with depression and anxiety for most of my teen years onwards, and when I felt its ugly head rising stronger than I’d ever felt when I was pregnant with Abel, I was absolutely terrified,’ she told followers.

‘I felt like that darkness was taking over and pulling me down with both paws.’

Olivia and Alex: Parenthood is available to watch on ITVX.

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