'Call the Midwife' Recap: Season 11 Episode 2

Season 11 of Call the Midwife has started off, as usual, with the promise of spring and some heartbreaking moments as well. Last week, Dr. Turner and the midwives rallied around a couple in need of a fresh start. Meanwhile, Nurse Crane offered her empathy and support to a woman who’d hidden a secret of shame and grief for most of her life. All the details can be found right here. But let’s not dally- there’s plenty to cover this week as well.

First off, a scabies outbreak has arrived in Poplar. The dreaded rash is spotted on one of the expectant mothers at the antenatal clinic and Shelagh goes into full public health battle mode. Posters and flyers are distributed, schools are contacted and cleansing stations are put on high alert. Even the posh Matthew Aylward is not immune, much to his embarrassment and Nurse Corrigan’s amusement. Fortunately, by the end of the episode, the threat of major spread has been quashed and the posters come down.

We are presented with two very different patient stories in this episode. A proud woman struggling to cope with being a single mum is contrasted with a newlywed whose expectations for a family in the future come crashing down.