It's 1957, and in a shattered post-war world, life goes on. Dot, a pupil midwife, negotiates the streets on her trusty old bicycle—come rain or shine—to help women in need. Living and working under the supervision of the strict Mrs. O'Reilly, she must complete her training with 12 deliveries: there's Mrs. Wardle who lives in a seedy slum; the eighth Clarke baby, born in an unusual place; the superstitious Wests, desperate for a boy; baby Murphy who is received with laughter; and brothel-worker Mrs. Maloney. Amid lectures, textbooks, and university dances, Dot must saddle up at any time of the day and night to attend deliveries. But just when she thinks she's got the measure of the job, fate deals her an unexpected hand.
