The story of a farming family’s first steps into parenthood is being screened on national television in a new series.
Eilidh and Richard Wise and their baby Peter are featuring on the BBC series The Baby Has Landed, which follows six families during the first few weeks of bringing up a baby.
Eilidh came across the idea for the programme when she was pregnant and decided to fill in an online form to apply.
“They were really interested in us, me being an autistic adult and living on a farm and they liked the idea of me working at Housesteads Roman Fort,” said Eilidh.
Filming was supposed to follow the couple before the birth and the following six weeks, but the schedule had to be changed after Peter contracted Strep B meningitis and septicaemia.
He was placed in intensive care at the special care baby unit in Sunderland, before being transferred to Cramlington and then eventually home, where he is now going from strength to strength.
“They have to keep monitoring him for two years,” said Eilidh. “But he is great. He’s huge!”
“It was the midwife at Hexham who raised the alarm with Peter. She saved his life and we are extremely grateful to all the Hexham midwives."
Eilidh, Richard and Peter will be featured in episodes three and four of the programme, due to be shown on BBC2 on Wednesday, December 11 and Monday, December 18 at 9pm.
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