MY FARE LADY
Dad delivers daughter as mum gives birth in back of taxi during M-way dash to hospital
A MUM gave birth to a baby girl in the back of a taxi on the way to hospital.
Jayne Leck, 36, went into labour with baby Aria Grace – and her partner Francie Quinn, 46, helped to deliver the tot in the back of the cab. The dramatic delivery happened as a pal gave them a lift to hospital on the M8. Baby Aria began to emerge near the turn-off for Glasgow Airport, with her dad wrapping her up in a towel until they could get to the hospital. Mum- of- two Jayne said: “I was mortified. I kept thinking to myself, ‘I can’t have this baby in the back of a taxi’. Francie was holding her head in his hands – it was all over in seconds.”
Aria was born 16 days early, on August 20, as her parents were on their way to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, Renfrewshire.
Their friend Mark Rodgers gave them a lift in his eight-seater taxi but, during the 2am dash, Aria was born before they could get to the hospital.
It was love at first sight for the besotted parents.
Francie said: “I was worried when she came out – she wasn’t even crying.
“I turned her over on her stomach and she started then, and I wrapped her up in a towel.
“It was an unbelievable experience.
“I don’t know a lot of dads who get to deliver their own baby. I just fell in love with her straight away.
“I can’t wait to tell all her friends when she is older that I delivered her. “She’s a wee miracle.” Jayne called ahead to the hospital so that a maternity team was ready and waiting for them in the car park.
Francie said: “They cut the cord and the midwife asked me what we had – I didn’t even know at that stage. She’s perfect.”