Meet the newborn baby who arrived in the back seat of an UBER.
The little girl – who has been named Florance – arrived five days early on 20th January after mum Lara Cameron-Cole’s waters broke whilst she was having dinner at home in New Cross, Deptford, London.
The 38-year-old – who is already mum to two boys Dade, five, and Ire, two – went into labour and was advised to get to St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, as quickly as possible.
Her husband, Eniola, 38, a content producer, called an Uber to rush them to the maternity ward.
The couple bundled into the back of the Skoda Octavia – but within minutes Lara said she could feel the baby’s head between her legs and just seconds later her daughter was born and fell in the foot well – without the need to push.
The couple estimated their Florance was born at 5.13pm – after looking at their Uber receipt – and later discovered she weighed a healthy 6lbs 8oz.
Lara and Eniola tipped their driver, Sherif Cacaj, who put his foot down to make it to hospital as speedily as he could – where a team of medics were waiting to assist the panicked parents.
Mum and baby were checked over and Lara delivered her placenta before she and Eniola were able to take their new addition home.
Lara, an interior designer, said: “I’m already a mum-of-two so I thought I knew what to expect when I went into labour.
“This time around it was so quick though. All in all, from my waters breaking to the baby arriving, it took about 10 minutes.
“We’d barely made it into the Uber to the hospital when I knew I had to pull down my dress as I could feel the baby’s head.
“I didn’t even need to push, she just suddenly fell out onto the foot well.
“The poor Uber driver didn’t know where to look and was trying as best he could to get there as quickly as possible without running red lights and breaking the law.”
Lara and her husband had been having dinner when she suddenly went into labour.
She said: “It was really painful. I knew the baby was on it’s way.
“We called St Thomas Hospital and they told us to get in a taxi and hurry to the maternity ward.
“My husband booked an Uber and grabbed my hospital bag.
“We’d just got into the back of the taxi when I felt the baby’s head crowning.
“I pulled my dress off and then felt down and I had my hand on her whole head.
“I told Eniola: ‘I can feel the baby’s head’ and he said: ‘Surely not’.
“He was on the phone to the hospital and I could hear them saying: ‘Just hold on, you’re almost here’.
“I couldn’t stop it though, I didn’t even push, the next thing I knew my baby was here – she was on the floor.”
Lara’s husband called the hospital to let them know the baby had already arrived and a team of medics were waiting for them in the car park.
“They met us with warm blankets and a wheelchair,” Lara explained.
“They couldn’t take the baby from me as we were still connected by the umbilical cord so I was rushed upstairs.
“It was such a quick, easy and painless birth.
“We weren’t expecting that kind of birth.
“We gave our driver a big tip at the end.
“He was doing all he could.
“He was trying to get us to hospital as quickly as he could, while trying not to break the law by running red lights and speeding – and he had me screaming in the back.
“He was a really nice man.”
An Uber spokesperson said: “We are delighted that Lara and her baby are doing well.
“Sherif remained calm under pressure and ensured they arrived safely to the hospital.
“Uber is proud to play a small part in helping this new family when they needed a quick, reliable ride the most.”
Uber driver Sherif Cacaj, 55, from Deptford, London, has been an Uber driver for six months and was shocked to find he had an extra passenger.
He said: “First the lady in my car said: ‘It’s coming, it’s coming’ and the next thing I knew she said ‘the baby is out’ and it was crying.
“I just drove as fast as I could to get to the hospital in about five/six minutes.
“The parents told me it was a little girl. They were a really nice family.
“The car was a bit messy, but not too much.”