A teacher gave birth in a hospital car park as she was on her way to be induced – and CAUGHT her own baby.
First-time mum Sian Austin ended up grabbing her own baby daughter as she was waddling into the maternity unit to be induced.
The 29-year-old prep school teacher was dropped off outside Watford General Hospital by husband Samuel, 32, but by the time he returned from parking the car, she was cradling their daughter.
The new mother caught her newborn daughter as she popped out, before two staff and members of the public helped complete the delivery.
Sian was already due at the hospital that morning to be induced with the baby 12 days overdue, but when she started having contractions at 7.15am the couple rushed out of the house.
They have still not named their daughter, who was born at approximately 8.30am on Monday morning and weighed in at 7lbs 13oz, and returned home at 9pm that night.
Sian, from Watford, Herts., said: “Samuel dropped me off at the birth centre and I didn’t quite make it.
“I had the baby and called out saying ‘can someone help me, I’ve just had a baby.’
“You wouldn’t expect to have a baby in a car park.
“The general public were fabulous – they were going about their daily lives and stopped what they were doing to help.”
The new mother admits she was even more surprised at the gender of her child.
She added: “I wanted it to be a surprise.
“It’s completely irrational, but I have three brothers so I thought I was having a boy.”
Samuel, a music teacher, claimed the relief that his wife and child were well outweighed any disappointment at missing the birth.
He said: “By the time I caught up with her there was a crowd of people and a baby hanging out. I didn’t really do much.
“I wasn’t disappointed to miss it, just naturally concerned and then delighted it was alive and kicking.”
A spokesperson at West Herts Hospital Trust said: “We can confirm that a woman gave birth to her first child in our car park.
“When she called the hospital she was advised to come into the birth centre but when she arrived she was unable to make it there on time and gave birth in the car park.
“However, she did not give birth on her own as two of the trust’s phlebotomists were present at the birth.
“The birth centre midwives reached the car park a few minutes after the baby was born and attended to the mother.
“We are delighted to announce that both mother and baby are doing very well.”
