Baby born in passenger seat while dad rushes to hospital

0
69

By CLAIRE DUFFIN Time of article published15m ago

Share this article:

London – A baby made a speedy entrance into the world – in the passenger seat of a car doing 60mph (about 96km/h) as the father drove her mother to hospital.

Callie Jean Kettle was born in a Ford Focus on a dual carriageway after Louise Brooks’ waters broke.

Miss Brooks, 30, had contractions last Thursday so she and partner Radford Kettle, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, set off for hospital.

The carer, who also has a son, Alfie, said: “It just came on really quickly. We got in the car and my waters broke. I was like, “I need to push”.

“I don’t know whether the driving movement might have helped bring her on. I just realised she was ready to arrive.

“I felt her head come out and she just kind of popped out. As soon as I had had her it was a massive relief to hold her. She is perfect.”

Mr Kettle, 38, a mechanic, said his partner was doubled over in pain so the couple “jumped in the car”. He told how he sped along the dualcarriageway because he ‘was so focussed on getting her to the hospital”.

“I had tunnel vision when I was driving,” he said.

“She started writhing in pain… then Louise let out an almighty scream, I have never heard anything like it,” he added. “I looked across and she was holding my daughter.

“All I could hear was shouting and crying and we were saying “she’s here, she’s here!”. She was beautiful but screaming her lungs out. My mum turned up about 15 minutes later with my sister-in-law who is a student nurse.” They called for an ambulance which met them in a layby. Paramedics cut the umbilical cord in the car and mother and baby went home after a night in hospital.

Mr Kettle added: “I just can’t believe it, it still hasn’t sunk in yet. I was in shock and awe, she is such a warrior. I cannot even put into words how proud I am.”

Ambulance call assessor Emma Heaps said: “The dad stayed calm and did a really brilliant job.”

Daily Mail