Father delivers own baby

Palmerston North couple Melissa Hall and Jimmy Warren wanted their second child to be born safe in hospital, but little Charlotte had other plans.

Charlotte arrived in less than a minute - one push - while Miss Hall was doing errands in the city on Saturday. She was born on a couch at an unfinished childcare centre, being set up by Miss Hall's sister.

Miss Hall started feeling mild contractions about 8am on Saturday. It was her second baby, so she wasn't bothered.
By 10am, while visiting sister Jenny Hall at her new childcare centre, the contractions suddenly become so painful she decided it was time to get to the hospital.
"They started getting stronger and stronger, so I rang the midwife and asked her to get lots of pain relief ready."
On the trip out to the car her waters broke.
"I said to Jenny, I think something's wrong."
Something was wrong and when Jenny checked, she came face to face with her being-born niece.
Miss Hall was carried inside by partner Jimmy, who put her down on a dusty, old couch - the only piece of furniture in the centre.
Within seconds, Charlotte Pamela Warren was born - a healthy 3.2 kgs.

"There was one little push and she came out," Miss Hall said.

Dad Jimmy was cool under pressure though, catching his newborn daughter. "I wasn't freaked out, it was good because it's not often that you can say you delivered your own daughter.
"I was a bit worried about the [umbilical] cord though, in case it was around her neck."
Babies can be stillborn if this happens.

With nothing much in the building to wrap Charlotte in, they had to be creative. "There were a couple of small baby blankets, but we had to use a lot of paper hand towels. It was most dignified," Miss Hall said, laughing.

Jenny Hall, who co-owns the Little Monkey Learning Centre, which opens early next year, said it was an eye-opening experience.
"Well, we are not licensed for children yet, so I hope we'll be okay."

Midwife Sue Crabtree said in her 13 years experience, she had only missed a couple of births. "Melissa underestimated how quick a second baby is born, but they did really well."
Ambulance staffers were also called and gave Mr Warren advice over the phone. They arrived after Charlotte.
Two hours after the birth, Miss Hall was straight back into her routine. "When I got home I went and hung the washing out and did the dishes."

- Posted with permission from the Palmerston North Evening Standard