When Jane Martin, 33, started having a baby in an Aldi store parking lot, it was lucky that an off-duty midwife happened to be there shopping.
Sarah Hamilton had gone to the grocery store to buy yoghurt when she saw a commotion and acted quickly.
Jane’s water broke while she was taking her children to school, with her husband Aidan, 37, receiving instructions on how to help deliver the baby over the phone.
The health professional stepped in, and after a 90 minute delivery, Sarah successfully delivered Audra – who weighed 9lb 2oz and was healthy (even though she needed to be warmed up).
Jane, a postwoman, said: ‘Audra was fine, we were never separated. She got warmed up with me.
‘I wasn’t scared at all, strangely. Luckily it was my third natural delivery, so I knew roughly what to expect and I know my own body. I was just going through the motions.’
While the mother of three was ‘relieved’ to have a quick delivery given her first took 16 hours and required forceps, she said: ‘Having to deliver a baby in an Aldi store parking lot was definitely not what I was expecting.’
Jane was far from Furness General Hospital in Barrow, Cumbria, where she was supposed to give birth to Audra, when her waters broke on March 15.
Aidan, a key cobbler, started driving them down the A590, but by the time they reached Lindale, Jane knew she was not going to make it to the hospital and they pulled into the nearest parking lot – where, fortunately, they were noticed by Sarah.
‘The midwife [on the phone] was asking where we had got to, so I’m shouting in between contractions, “grange roundabout”,’ said Jane.
‘When my waters broke we were going through Ulverston – that was panic stations. Her head pushed my waters out – I knew we didn’t have very long.’
The mother continued: ‘I think it was more stressful for Aiden to get me there. I was going through the motions.
‘I’m thinking about myself, he’s having to think about the road, making sure I’m okay.’
The next day, Sarah asked to fill in for Jane and Audra’s midwife permanently, as she had ‘already been there’.
Jane said: ‘I think it made her day. She was buzzing afterwards.’
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