Coronation Street actress Samia Smith and husband Matt introduce their gorgeous three-month-old baby daughter Freya in this week’s OK! magazine.

To read all about little Freya, Samia’s labour, Matt feeling faint and sick during the birth and why their daughter was born by Caesarean section click

On the birth:

Samia: I had to have a Caesarean because she was breech. She was completely the wrong way round too, and there was no way I’d have been able to give birth naturally. Throughout the pregnancy, I’d been dreading a Caesarean. I’d said to my midwife, anything but a Caesarean. I’d been quite looking forward to the experience of giving birth, and I was nervous of a Caesarean because I’d never had an operation. But looking back now, it was amazing. The surgeon who performed it was like Edward Scissorhands and had Freya out in four minutes. He said to us: ‘Can I start now?’ and Matt said to me: ‘He’s nearly got the baby out.’ I didn’t feel anything.

On what pain relief she had:

S: A spinal, slightly different [to an epidural]. You go completely numb, it feels like a thousand people are sat your legs and you can’t move them at all. It’s the weirdest sensation. I think the next day was more uncomfortable than the actual day. But I’d do it again tomorrow. We went in with my weekend bag at 8am and by 10am Freya was out. They were playing lovely music.

On what Matt thought of the birth:

Matt: Because it was a Caesarean, the birth took place in the operating theatre, which was comfortable but a bit daunting. I had to scrub and wear a gown and rubber shoes. When they gave [Samia] the injection in her back that was a bit stressful.

S: Because they kept hitting a nerve.

M: Then they put the screen up between us and the incision. Halfway through, the surgeon said to me: ‘You better take a look at this,’ and the baby was half in and half out.

S: You fainted didn’t you! I remember asking Matt: What have we got?!’ And he looked like he was going to throw up and said: ‘I don’t know.’

M: When they’d put her on the birthing table the surgeon asked me if I wanted to cut the chord. I said no, and I felt a bit sick, so they sat me down on the floor.

S: I turned one way to talk to the anaesthetist and then turned back because the midwife was bringing Freya over, and I said: ‘Where’s Matt?’ and she said: ‘He’s down here,’ and he was on the floor!

M: When I look back on the pictures I can’t believe I took them.

S: I can’t, because he’s so squeamish. He needs a can of Coke and a Mars bar if he’s just going to the doctors!

On what music they listened to as Freya was being born:

S: We’d got a playlist of our favourite songs to take in, but at the last minute decided to leave it.

M: The surgeon had put his own songs on, and we thought, rather than distract him with our music, we’d just leave him to do his own thing.

S: But by coincidence, the surgeon played some of our favourites that have a special meaning to us, like Songbird by Eva Cassidy, and Macy Grey that we love.

M: Random songs, but ones that meant a lot to us.

On how long after the Caesarean Samia was able to pick Freya up:

S: I had her on the Monday and I was out of hospital on the Thursday. I could pick her up, but I had to be careful. Those first few nights in hospital, I barely slept, because if she cried I couldn’t pull myself up in time to get to her. So I just slept with the bed upright so I could lean across and get her. Now she’s 12 weeks old, I feel back to normal. I didn’t drive for five weeks because you’re not supposed to drive unless you can do an emergency stop. It was quite good because I didn’t do any housework because you’re not supposed to vacuum, so Matt did all that! You feel alright, it’s just uncomfortable. It wouldn’t put me off having another Caesarean, I don’t think.

On bonding with Freya:

S: With me, because she took to breastfeeding straight away, I felt instantly close to her.

M: I can definitely tell she is in to her mum. But as she grows, she’s started to smile in the last two weeks. Every day you feel a little bit closer to her.

On how their Maltese pet dog Sonny is with Freya:

S: Our little dog Sonny is brilliant with her. He’s a Maltese and he’s been our baby, but he’s so good with her and she likes him.

M: When she has cried, he’ll just be there looking at you as if to say: ‘Why have we got this baby?’ He doesn’t do anything, but he looks at you really peed off. But when you sit them close together and Freya kicks him he doesn’t do anything. He’s dead intrigued by her.

S: The other day I said to him: ‘Where’s Freya?’ and he ran in to the nursery. He’s so clever!

On what type of baby Freya is:

S: As soon as she was born her eyes were everywhere. She’s really nosy, always looking at everything. She’s really smiley. As long as she has a full belly and she’s been winded, she’s really content. She’s quite chilled really.

M: I’m quite fidgety and can’t sit still, and if you look at Freya she’s just the same, always moving.

On who she looks like:

S: My mum brought round some pictures of me as a baby last week, and when you put them next to the pictures of Freya we look identical. But I can see Matt in her when she cries more! She’s got mini-me versions of Matt’s toes.

M: I can’t see her in Sam or me, but every day she develops. Hopefully, she’s got the good bits of both of us. Her hair hasn’t grown through yet, though!

On the help they’ve received:

S: My auntie is a nurse on a maternity ward, so she’s been invaluable, and she’s always on the other end of the phone for advice. I did buy that Gina Ford book, and I might as well have thrown it out of the window. I couldn’t be that strict with her. I’m too soft. I love to cuddle her to sleep, and that Gina Ford book says you shouldn’t make eye contact when you’re feeding them at night. I want her in a Moses basket in our bedroom, and the book says they should be in their own room from day one.

On if they’d like more children:

S: I definitely want more, and I don’t want to leave it years and years. I think it would be nice to for Freya to have a little brother or sister.

Source: OK! magazine, Issue: 710, Date: February 2nd 2010. Photos by Tony Ward