Mother who gave birth at garden centre after she didn’t make it to the hospital in time reveals her partner was forced to deliver his own daughter – and used SHOELACES to tie the umbilical cord
- Emily Rumney, 28, from Sebastapol, near Pontypool, gave birth in garden centre
- Was dashing to hospital with partner James Perry, 38, when felt baby on the way
- Acted as midwife to deliver daughter and tied umbilical cord with his shoe laces
A blossoming mum-to-be beat the lockdown rush – by giving birth in a garden centre.
Emily Rumney, 28, from Sebastapol, near Pontypool, was dashing to hospital with partner James Perry, 38, when she felt the baby on the way.
So James pulled over into the nearest spot – into their local garden centre before it reopened.
He then acted as midwife to deliver his own daughter – and tied her umbilical cord with his shoe laces.
Emily Rumney, 28, from Sebastapol, near Pontypool, was on her way to hospital with partner James Perry, 38, when she felt the baby on the way. Pictured, with baby Leah
James pulled over into the nearest spot – into their local garden centre before it reopened, and acted as midwife to deliver his own daughter (pictured)
Baby Leah was born weighing 6lb 13oz when she arrived shortly after 5am on May 4 at the Secret Garden in Pontypool, South Wales.
‘It was about 1.30am when Emily started having contractions,’ explained James. ‘I rang the hospital and they said she should have two paracetamol, a hot bath, and go back to bed.
‘At 2.30am she had the two paracetamol and tried to go back to sleep. But by 4.30am it was clear we had to head for the hospital, so we got everything together and set off.’
The couple were just a couple of miles into their 12-mile journey to hospital from their home when the baby decided to enter the world.
James even tied Leah’s umbilical cord with his shoe laces, before covering her and Emily up with blankets to keep them warm (pictured, after the birth)
Emily – a clinical trials co-ordianator at a specialist cancer hospital – told James she could feel the head.
Factory manager James said: ‘I pulled into the Secret Garden car park. It was 5am by now, and I could see that I would have to deliver her.’
James was trying to give information on their whereabouts to the 999 operator when Leah arrived.
‘I put her on Emily’s chest and was then told I had to take a lace out of one of my trainers and tie that around the umbilical cord,’ he explained.
‘I got a towel to clean the baby, and blankets to cover her and Emily up to keep them warm, put the heater on, and waited for the ambulance.
‘Emily couldn’t go into hospital until it was an active labour, but we didn’t expect things to go so quickly.
‘It was a totally unexpected adventure, but Emily and the baby are fine – and I’ll be keeping the lace out of that trainer.’
Ambulances arrived after 25 minutes and Emily and newborn Leah were taken to hospital for checks but allowed home that afternoon.