Media watch

It seems that giving birth on live TV just isn't shocking enough these days. Of the nationals, only The Guardianfelt Channel Five's screening of a Caesarean section on Sunday night warranted much attention.

But the spectacle had both the National Childbirth Trust and the Royal College of Midwives up in arms.

NCT chief executive Belinda Phipps told The Guardian that the decision to film the birth live rather than use pre-recorded footage placed an unfair strain on expectant women.

'If something goes wrong we don't expect to be in a position where we're watching the death of a baby. You can have just as much value from seeing a birth that's been recorded half an hour previously.'

The RCM also hit out, claiming the programme risked turning the birth into a 'spectator sport'.

Hosted by sports presenters Gabby Logan and Andrew Castle - appropriate or what? - Birth Nightwas filmed at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, and at 9.36pm a 6lb baby boy, Caleb, was born to proud mum Nadine.

In the Guardianpiece, Channel Five controller of live factual events Alex Sutherland hit back at critics: 'There's an excitement to seeing things happen live. We get criticised for editing things and making them too smooth.

'This is the perfect opportunity to demystify the process, to do it in a way that celebrates the birth rather than a lot of blood and guts.'

But even the parents couldn't agree on the rights and wrongs of the programme. 'Mad, isn't it?' said Nadine of the on-screen birth. 'It's different and it's not silly,' countered Caleb's dad.

Helen Mooney