Yellowjackets' Samantha Hanratty Put Medical Knowledge Aside For Shauna's Birth Scene

This article contains spoilers for "Yellowjackets" and discusses potentially triggering content.

"Qui," the intense sixth episode of "Yellowjackets" season 2, finally solves the mystery of Shauna's baby. Samantha Hanratty, who plays the teen version of Misty, told Uproxx that she wanted the harrowing birth scene "to come across as authentic as possible. Misty knows a lot, but I also didn't want it to be where she knows too, too much."

 Although Misty has vital first-aid skills, she is understandably shaken when she has to help Shauna give birth — especially after dealing with the death of her best friend. But in real life, Hanratty has a lot of interest in labor and delivery:

"I'm the auntie of seven nieces and nephews, I can't wait to be a mom myself. Hopefully, by next year I will be starting my own family. So I'm very familiar with that whole process. [...] I could see myself as Samantha being a doula for people at some point. But for Misty, I'm like, I don't know if she's at that point. You know what I mean?"

In the Lifetime movie "Zoe Gone," Hanratty also plays a pregnant teenager and did research to prepare for the opening scene where her character gives birth. For "Yellowjackets," she had to strike a balance between her own knowledge and what Misty would actually be capable of in order to make the scene feel genuine.

Since Samantha Hanratty had learned so much about the childbirth process, she was able to recognize all the things that the Yellowjackets were doing wrong while trying to help Shauna (via Uproxx):

"Just little things like, if we were in a hospital, Shauna's legs would have been propped up and we would have had her all the way at the foot of the bed and things like that. I definitely had to stop myself from being like, 'That's not accurate.' To be like, 'This is a group of teenage girls who don't know what they're doing.'"

Their uncertainty is what makes the birth scene so effective and genuine. The ensemble behaves exactly as teenagers would in this live-or-death situation: frozen in fear, their tear-filled eyes searching for someone who knows what to do, dreadful silence as they scramble to figure it out, and bewildered questions about whether or not they should boil water or time the contractions. Even the only adult in the room, Coach Ben, can't face the pressure of this precarious moment. 

Hanratty's maternal health awareness would have helped the Yellowjackets' struggle for survival. There's been a lot of panic about whether or not the team would eat Shauna's baby — luckily, they don't (except in Shauna's nightmare), but there are other pregnancy-related things they could have taken advantage of. "I think they should have eaten the placenta. It's something that they should have cooked up. And honestly, I hate to get to this level of detail, but look, if Shauna is able to have any milk come out [...] Maybe it was just a bit too far for the show," Hanratty pointed out in her interview.

"Yellowjackets" is not afraid to confront heavy issues such as stillbirth, and the heartbreaking episode "Qui" depicts Shauna's agonizing birth with the utmost honesty. Although not everyone can relate to being trapped in the wilderness, sadly there are many who have dealt with infant loss or traumatic births. Samantha Hanratty acknowledged the truth of Shauna's experience in her Uproxx interview:

"I have four sisters. It's something that a lot of people in this world have dealt with or know somebody who has dealt with — losing a child. And it's not taken lightly. We never know what each other has gone through. If you're watching this episode with your friends and with your family, it's an important episode, it's a beautiful episode, it's a tragic episode. Maybe just check in with each other while experiencing this with these girls. I know, for me, I'm going to give a warning to my sisters and I've given warnings to a couple of people prior." 

Hanratty brings her understanding of obstetrics to the role when Misty gains confidence and warmly encourages Shauna through the worst of her final pushes. After filming the scene, Jasmin Savoy Brown, who plays teen Taissa, told her, "I would want you to be there when I give birth. I think I'd want you to be my doula." A tragic outcome may have been inevitable for Shauna and her baby, but the stranded teenagers would have greatly benefited from Hanratty's own medical knowledge to help with the delivery.

"Yellowjackets" airs on Showtime and is streaming on Paramount+.