IT’S THE MOST PETRIFYING THING I HAVE EVER DONE

Jake Taylor, 23, works in road construction. He lives with partner tia Guille, 22, a sales assistant and their children Nellie, three, and Henry, ten months, in Grantham, lincs. Jake (below with his wife and son) says: DRIVING to the hospital with Tia screaming that she needed to push was one of the most petrifying things I’ve ever experienced. Tia had been having contractions since 1am, but hadn’t woken me because she said ‘I’d just annoy her!’

But when I did wake up at 4am, we decided to ring her dad to take us to the hospital as I don’t drive.

She got in the passenger seat and I was in the back but, within minutes, Tia had to push. I was saying, ‘No, wait! We’re going to be there soon’, as it was only about half an hour away. I really didn’t want her having a baby on the side of the A1.

But the baby was on its way and I remember saying to Tia to pull her trousers down while still trying to cover her up because her dad was sitting right next to her.

I didn’t want the baby to fall into the footwell so somehow leaned over the seat and tried to hold its head.

As we arrived at the hospital I jumped out of the car, just in time to catch my son as he came out. It was amazing.

I wrapped him in Tia’s dressing gown and I heard Tia’s dad scream for midwives. Suddenly there was a team of people around us, helping us get Tia into a wheelchair. It was at that point I finally felt calm. I’d be running on adrenalin for the entire journey, my legs were shaking, but once the medics were around us, I felt safe. I feel so proud. Tia’s dad can’t stop talking about it and even though the white leather seats of his car were covered in blood, he says he doesn’t care and he’s never going to get rid of that car. Not many grandads can say they were at the birth. We were a great team. TIA SAYS: My home birth was cancelled due to the pandemic but I never dreamed I’d give birth like this! I was two days overdue when my contractions started and, at one point, I was begging the hospital to let me come in. Jake was in a panic, rushing around and trying to get my bags sorted and rubbing my back, but I kept telling him to get off me! I remember Jake telling me not to push as we drove, but nature had taken over. I don’t know how he managed to get from the back seat to the front so quickly and catch the baby, but he did. It was petrifying, but everyone did well. I went from being told I couldn’t have one birthing partner during the pandemic to having two — my partner and my dad!