A nine-year-old girl had to step up and be midwife after her mum went into labour at home – and even caught her little sister.
Aa’Kayla Gunn was called into action when her mum Angelica, 30, started having intense contractions more than a week before her due date.
With Angelica’s husband Caleb Gunn, 29, stuck in traffic, the schoolgirl answered her mum’s cries for help.
The schoolgirl called 911 and other relatives, before stepping in to support sister Aubree’s body as she was pushed out, and then handed her up to mum for a cuddle.
Angelica, from Belton, Missouri, is a nurse so was able to coach Aa’Kayla through the process while a medic and her sister were on the phone offering support and guidance.
She said: “She was scared at first and I kind of coached her through. I told her ‘it’s just me and you, so we’re going to have to do it together’.
“After that, she hopped right in.
“She handled it really well. She called 911, she called my husband, she called my sister, she was a big helper when it happened.”
She was due to give birth on July 9, but realised on June 28 that she was ready.
Angelica said: “I screamed for my daughter to come in and help me as much as she could, I crawled into bed and had to push.
“I pushed three times and she was out, and my daughter grabbed her.”
Husband Caleb, a wedding photographer, arrived 10 minutes later after escaping the traffic on his way home from work.
Baby Aubree is now settling into her home with her parents and older siblings Aa’Kayla and four-year-old CJ.