The pregnant Emilia Schneider is a midwife working in the Bavarian Alps. She wanted to give birth at home, but because of complications, she must go to the hospital. At first excited and optimistic about her pregnancy, Emilia changes and becomes estranged from her child and her surroundings. She starts to cover her windows and neglects her husband, household, and newborn child. She is stuck between this behavior and an extreme fear about her child dying. Her husband doesn't take this situation seriously at first; only when he finds his child in a basket filled with clothes does he start to realize the problem.