A mum has told how her husband was forced to “catch” their newborn daughter after she gave birth on the side of the motorway into the footwell of her best pal’s car.
Amy Greaves, 28, went into labour at home one day early and couldn’t get in touch with her midwife so friend Stacey Eckley, 25, offered to drive her to hospital in her dad’s Jaguar.
But the 15 minute journey was scuppered by roadworks which forced them onto the motorway, and 20 minutes later she couldn’t hold on any longer.
They pulled off the dual carriageway seconds before partner Sean Powell, 32, rushed from the back seat just in time to catch baby Lilia before she hit the floor of the car.
Their daughter Eva, three, who was in the car got frightened by her mum’s screams – so Stacy gave her Peppa Pig videos to watch on her phone while Amy laboured.
Paramedics arrived – but said it was safer not to move Amy, so Stacy drove her the final few minutes to Worcester Hospital, followed by the ambulance.
Sean – who had to untangle the umbilical cord from round Lilia’s neck – said it was the “most terrifying experience of my life” but Amy said she’s just glad her best mate and partner were on hand.
Preschool teacher Amy from Worcester said: “It was really crazy – just such a mental day.
“Lilia came out literally on the second push and thankfully Sean managed to catch her before she hit the floor of the car.
“It was really scary as she had her umbillical cord wrapped around her neck so she didn’t cry at the start but luckily she was ok.
“I’m just really glad I had Sean and Stacy there to help me.”
Sean said: “In all the build up to delivering our baby, I can honestly say I have never felt so scared in my life.
“Whilst I was sat in the back of the car, the fear in my stomach was in control. I just knew we weren’t going to make it to the hospital in time.
“I was just relying on instinct as I had no assistance whatsoever and hadn’t even read anything about delivering a baby.
“It wasn’t until hours afterwards that I managed to stop shaking, to be honest. It was the scariest, most terrifying experience of my life.”
Amy’s assigned midwife had been to her house earlier that day, on October 21, for a scheduled appointment.
The mum had a few pains, but her midwife suspected it was because the baby’s head was sitting low.
But within hours, the pain got worse and they couldn’t get through to their midwife, so opted to drive to hospital themselves.
“I originally thought I was going to have the baby in the street as I was walking to the car,” Amy said.
“I was at that point where the pain was really bad.
“Looking back now, I just think why didn’t I go back into the house? But in your head, you just think you’ve got to get to hospital.”
Stacy had just got onto the dual carriageway when Amy felt the urge to push.
Amy said: “I managed to hold the first push in but couldn’t stop the second one so I pushed and her head came out. Stacy was literally like ‘oh my god, there’s a head!’
“She had to pull over on the dual carriageway but there wasn’t a lay-by or anything – she just had to pull over into a mound of mud.
“I was in the front passenger seat and then Sean got out and came round. It was literally my second push and she was out and Sean quickly caught her!
“She had her cord wrapped round her neck so Sean had to get that off quickly which was really scary because it meant that she didn’t cry when she was born.
“I’m not sure how long it was until she gave her first cry – it felt like forever but it was probably about three minutes really.
“We wrapped her up in Stacy and Sean’s hoodies and I was just holding her in the front of the car as we rang for an ambulance.”
Sean added: “Stacy was driving and in my head I thought she would possibly deliver the baby if someone needed to.
“Amy let out this terrifying scream and Stacy went into shock, shouting to me that she didn’t know what to do.
“Something just clicked and I thought I have to save my baby – I have to do something.
“I got out of the back and there was Amy in the front seat and I could see the head of our baby.
“Amy gave another push and I caught our baby before she hit the car floor.”
Pulling up outside the front of Worcester Hospital, Amy climbed onto a stretcher with the umbilical cord still attached to her newborn – and not wearing any pants.
She said: “That was just the cherry on top of the cake.”
Sean added: “I’m so relieved Amy and Lilia were both well after the birth considering it was cold, raining and we were in a dangerous place on the side of the dual carriageway.
“It’s great having everyone home together.”
