Prince William Asks Midwife To Help Kate With Her Pregnancy With Baby Number Two

When someone is a midwife, it is a normal part of life for conversations with expectant parents to quickly turn to the subject of pregnancy and birth. What makes an ordinary pregnancy conversation extraordinary is when the expectant father is Prince William, and the mother is Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge.

On Thursday, Prince William presented awards to a number of recipients at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle, including one to Professor Lesley Page, a senior midwife, and the President of the Royal College of Midwives. The subject of Kate’s pregnancy naturally came up when the Prince met Mrs. Page.

She told People, “I’m a midwife, so he talked about Catherine’s pregnancy, and [we] talked about being a midwife for well over 30 years and what’s changed. I’m very busy in that role and I still do hands-on practice.”

The Daily Mail reports that, as Prince William presented Professor Page with a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire), he amiably asked her, “Would you like to come and help us?” To which, the good midwife responded, “Yes, of course!”

Kate, nee Kate Middleton, is reported to be suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, a difficult condition for any mother in which there is excessive nausea and vomiting, far beyond the kind that is relieved with crackers by the bedside. At about 10 weeks into this pregnancy, the condition has led to more than one cancelled appearance, including a much anticipated visit to the launch of the Clore Art Room, a charity close to her heart which uses art to help children with behavioral disorders.

This severe extreme of morning sickness has fueled speculation that it is a sign that Prince William and Kate are expecting twins. However, hyperemesis gravidarum afflicted the Kate’s pregnancy with Prince George as well. Though it is more common in twins than singletons, women carrying only one baby certainly experience this debilitating condition.

Prince William was recently asked about Kate’s well-being. He told the reporter, “She’s feeling ok. It’s been a tricky few days, a week or so. We’re basically thrilled. It’s great news. Early days. We’re hoping that things settle down, and she feels a bit better.”

The midwife expressed her compassion for Duchess Kate to People.

“I feel sorry for her because I had the same condition when I was pregnant. It usually gets better at 12-16 weeks. Nowadays, there are ways of alleviating the condition. But it does make you feel really awful. It can be different for different pregnancies.”

She added that Prince William and Kate “look like really devoted parents, so I can really understand them wanting to have babies close together like that.” Prince George and his younger sibling will be less than two years apart, which, according to a previous report from The Inquisitr, is fine with Kate, who is, herself, one of three children.

Midwife Lesley Page says that she is confident that Kate is getting excellent care. She says that the “charming” Prince William confided in her that, during Kate’s pregnancy with Prince George, “that they had been well looked-after by midwives.” After all, that is what midwives are known for.

[images via AP/John Stillwell, Pool, and PA/Daily Mail]