Delivering your baby on the way to the hospital is pretty much many woman’s worst nightmare. But what this dad did next was inspiring…
A hero dad has saved his newborn daughter’s life by using first aid he learned on the hit medical drama ER.
His partner, Sarah Pearson (pictured, above) went into labour at home in Woodborough in the UK. They got in the car and started driving to Notthingham City Hospital when Andrew says he heard a giant ‘whoosh’ and looked down to see his newborn baby girl in the footwell on the car mat.
The 44-year-old dad told the Nottingham Post, “We’d only got a couple of minutes down the road when Sarah started screaming like I’ve never heard anyone scream before. All of a sudden there was this huge ‘woosh’ – as if someone had chucked a bowl of water into the car. Then I looked across and the baby was in the footwell. She was blue. I stopped the car and we both just screamed at each other. I had no idea what to do.”
Their daughter wasn’t breathing and needed urgent medical attention.
Andrew quickly pulled the car over, picked up his daughter and slapped her on the back. He'd seen the technique used on the hit medical drama ER. It worked. His baby girl, later named Cecilia, began breathing and crying.
"I don't know where it came from, but I suddenly remembered an episode of ER - they patted a baby on the back, so that's what I did. All of a sudden all this fluid came out of her mouth and she started crying. I was so relieved."
Andrew then called an ambulance, his concern turning to his partner who was bleeding badly after giving birth in the car, but it failed to show up. Apparently it had been cancelled, their request labelled 'non urgent'. They ended up driving to the hospital themselves and Sarah was quickly treated. An investigation is taking place into the ambulance no show.
Sarah, 31, is grateful her partner knew what to do. "Andrew obviously helped the baby as she wasn't breathing - he basically saved her life."
The couple already have a daughter named India, 3. Cecilia is now at home and doing well with her quick thinking father keeping a close eye on her.
Andrew is grateful it all ended well. "We were very lucky."
Image courtesy of Nottingham Post.
Have you heard about an amazing birth? Have you picked up a few pointers from your favourite TV show?