It was the middle of the night at Dot Looker’s house in Wadonga when her granddaughter Rikki Bennett went into labour with her second child.
The Border Mail reports that Rikki’s contractions had begun around 2pm while she was collecting her daughter Summah from school and were severe enough for Rikki to attend the hospital. She was assured by medical staff that the baby was still days away and she was sent home with some mild pain relief.
When things progressed, Rikki again attended the hospital, and was told the same thing. She decided to stay at her grandmother Dot’s house with her mother Jan and Summer, 13 for the night to rest.
After going to bed, Rikki said she woke in pain around 11:30pm. She was experiencing a significant amount of pain and things were escalating quickly. She cried out for help and Dot ran to her grand-daughters side from her own bed, where she was reading a book. She immediately stepped in to assist while Jan tried to call an ambulance. But there was no time.
Within the space of 15 minutes baby Logan arrived. However, amazingly, he was still within the amniotic sac- a rare occurrence called 'en caul birth' or 'veiled birth' which only happens in one in every 80, 000 births (usually in premature babies).
Dot immediately sprang into action and carefully peeled the sac over Logan’s face and released the umbilical cord which was twice wrapped around his neck, restricting his breathing.
“I’ve had five babies of my own” Dot told The Border Mail, “None of them looked like that”.
She explained that Logan was blue when he came out. “I put him on my left hand and patted him on the back. After a little while he cried and it was the best sound I’ve heard my whole life”.
Rikki says she is amazed at how calm and collected her grandmother was throughout the ordeal. “I screamed out and pushed and she caught him” she says “ She is absolutely amazing and there is nothing she can’t do. (When he came out) I yelled at her and asked if he was dead and she wasn’t talking. She was just in this mode of concentration and pulling things off his face and from around his neck”.
Both Rikki and Dot believe that baby Logan would not be here if not for the great grandmothers quick thinking.
Shortly after baby Logan’s birth the ambulance arrived and escorted both mum and baby to hospital where the stayed for a short time for observation.
Congratulations to Rikki, baby Logan and his really good great-grandmother.