Call the Midwife season 14 has reunited us with all our Nonnatus House favorites as we arrive in 1070s Poplar for more twists, turns and, of course, expectant mothers and babies!
The Call the Midwife Christmas specials 2024 kickstarted the new series in style with Trixie returning from New York, Reggie going missing and panic for Nonnatus House as the building's future was thrown into jeopardy.
Here is everything that happened in Call the Midwife season 14 episode 2...
The second episode opens with the mother and baby clinic getting underway where we meet some new mums-to-be. Arlene Brewer arrives and tells Trixie that she has to have her baby at St Cuthbert's, but fails to mention it is because she has just been released from a psychiatric hospital where she has been for four months. Doctor Turner gets her notes and it turns out she was admitted after she was found talking to a 'dead relative'. He tells Trixie that Arlene is on Lithium for her condition and that is why she is being cared for under St Cuthbert's.
Another expectant mother, Zeeta Dermere, is seen by Nurse Crane and after an examination, it turns out she has gonorrhea, but she says she has only ever slept with her husband.
It soon turns out Zeeta isn't the only one suffering, because a young lad, Eric Wilson, comes to a vaccination clinic that is being run by Sister Veronica and he asks to speak to her privately. He tells her of his symptoms and she sends him to Doctor Turner. It turns out Eric also has gonorrhea and Doctor Turner, Shelagh and Miss Higgins start to worry they might have an outbreak on their hands.
Meanwhile, Violet is preparing for the spring flower festival, which will be her final event as mayor and she wants it to be perfect... even if poor Fred does look fed up putting up the banner for the event!
At St Cuthbert's the doctor tells Arlene that she can't breastfeed when her baby arrives because there is a risk the Lithium she is taking could be in the breastmilk. With his words about ringing in her ears, Arlene decides to stop taking her Lithium tablets and throws them down the sink.
Rosalind and Cyril are helping at the homeless shelter when they have to break up a fight between two men. One of the men, Ted, tells Rosalind he used to be a window dresser in Harrods and she is upset when Ted explains he became homeless after a housefire killed his wife and child. Rosalind feels for Ted, especially when Cyril reminds him that if he keeps fighting he won't be allowed back at the shelter.
Meanwhile, Shelagh, Sister Veronica and Miss Higgins form a tracing group, trying to work out where the gonorrhea is coming from to try and stop the spread. The whole system means intimate interviews and everyone is worried, but Doctor Turner points out this is a major medical concern and they head off to do their best.
Trixie visits Arlene who, unbeknownst to her has stopped taking her Lithium medication, so she is not quite herself. She starts talking about her late sister, Stella, and how she spiraled when she lost her mum not that long ago. She says she can't sleep and Trixie recommends some sleeping tablets, but Arlene jumps down her throat saying she is already on enough medication.
Meanwhile, Miss Higgins goes to see Zeeta's husband to ask about his sexual relations so they can work out how his pregnant wife contracted gonorrhea, but he gets angry and throws her out.
Elsewhere, Shelagh is visiting Eric, the 16-year-old with gonorrhea and tells him he needs to come to surgery for treatment. She eventually gets him to admit he went to a local brothel on his brother's stag night and the penny drops that this could be the cause of the outbreak. Miss Higgins goes to the brothel to speak to the man running it, and couldn't look more like a duck out of water if she tried! He doesn't want to listen to what she has to say, but when she works her Miss Higgins magic in not taking no for an answer, he points her in the direction of 'Ada's' door and it turns out the woman is Mrs Rowntree, one of the mothers at the baby clinic.
Miss Higgins is shocked that Mrs Rowntree is in so much trouble and tells her about the outbreak. But Mrs Rowntree tells her she won't come to the clinic as Doctor Turner knows her as a mother and not a brothel worker. After some Miss Higgins persuasion, Mrs Rowntree agrees, but she says that the other girls at the brothel won't go - so Miss Higgins suggests bringing the clinic to them.
Still worrying about Ted, Rosalind goes to find him on the streets and tells him that not only has she convinced everyone at the homeless shelter that he should be allowed back after his fight, but that she also wants him to help her with a flower arrangement for the St Oswald's flower festival to put his window dressing skills to use. Ted is overwhelmed by her kindness and promises to meet her with ideas the following day. Rosalind is thrilled when he makes a beautiful plan for their display and asks Ted to get the flowers and meet her on Thursday.
Later, Joyce and Trixie hold a mother and baby class and Arlene arrives late and is skittish and loud, causing concern for Trixie that something isn't right with her. The next day Trixie visits Arlene for her regular check-up and finds she is more out of character than ever. She is also having pains and as she talks about all the animals she can see on a wall, Trixie realises she hasn't been taking her medication and goes to fetch the doctor. However, once she leaves Arlene locks the door behind her.
One of the women working at the brothel tells Miss Higgins about a foreman who organises groups of men to visit her on a regular basis and they use this as a way to track down the gonorrhea spread. The woman doesn't know his name as her clients never give real names, but describes a distinctive scar he has. Doctor Turner knows what operation he must have had to get the scar and they work out who he is from his medical records. At the building site, the foreman doesn't take kindly to being cornered by Miss Higgins and Shelagh at work but when they threaten to report him to the police for organising brothel visits, he finally complies and tells his workers to get tested and treated.
As the workers line up to get details for the clinic, Miss Higgins is shocked to see one of them is Zeeta's husband who threw her out of his house the other day. He tells Miss Higgins about how he came to London before Zeeta and thought he would never see her again, so he went to the brothel to help forget Zeeta. But then a day later she turned up and they got married... and he never meant to hurt her. Miss Higgins tells him he needs to do the right thing now and get tested.
Trixie returns to Arlene with Doctor Turner and finds the door locked so they have to break in through the window. Arlene is in full labour and as she gives birth she talks about the mural on the wall to her late sister, who isn't there. Arlene has a baby daughter with the help of Trixie and Doctor Turner but it isn't long before they have to take them both to the hospital.
At the same time, Zeeta has gone into labour and her husband finds her and tells her about his brothel visit. Zeeta is devastated but has no time to worry becasue the baby is coming so she rushes to the maternity home where Nurse Crane helps deliver her baby boy.
Thursday arrives and Rosalind is upset when Ted fails to show up for the flower display arranging but Cyril is there to cheer her up. They decide to show Ted that he matters by making the display he designed. As they work together, there is a spark between them as their hands touch.
But later at the church, Mrs Wallace comments on how much time Cyril is spending at the shelter - and with Rosalind - he is given food for thought and books a flight to Jamaica to see Lucille. When Rosalind arrives to collect him for the flower festival, she is surprised to see him with a suitcase and tries to hide her sadness when he tells her where he's going. Before leaving, Cyril gives Rosalind a gentle kiss on the cheek and she dashes off upset.
Trixie is upset about the fact Arlene will end up back in a psychiatric hospital and her baby will go into foster care and wonders how she is going to break the news to her patient. Joyce boosts her mood when she gives her a letter that has arrived from America and Trixie is thrilled to see Matthew has sent her a lock of Jonty's hair. Later she sees Arlene and explains what happens next, but promises that as soon she gets better she will be reunited with her daughter once again. Before she leaves, Trixie gives Arlene a lock of her daughter's hair in the hope it will bring her comfort.
As the episode ends, the flower festival gets underway and Violet announces to a delighted crowd that she will be serving another year as Mayor of Tower Hamlets. Everyone celebrates and it feels like Spring has sprung in Poplar.
In the UK Call the Midwife season 14 airs on Sundays on BBC One at 8pm. In the US the series will start in March 2025 on PBS.
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