The baby born in a shopping centre loo
WHEN expectant mother Krishna Barot stopped off for a spot of shopping she was gathering aromatherapy supplies to prepare for a relaxing water birth.
But the 32-year-old’s unborn son had other ideas – and made an unscheduled arrival in the ladies’ toilets.
Thought to be the first child ever to enter the world in a Scottish shopping centre, the birth certificate for 7lb 3oz Nitul records that he was born in ‘Silverburn Shopping Centre, Barrhead Road’ on July 15, 2016.
Two members of staff helped Mrs Barot, from Crookston, Glasgow, deliver her baby after her waters broke when she visited the toilet.
Security officer Michelle McKeller and Catherine Brisbane, both first aiders, rushed to help and Nitul – who was two days overdue – was born in just 15 minutes.
Mrs Barot said: ‘I was walking through Silverburn with my family, shopping for aromatherapy oils for my planned water pool birth, when I started to experience some pain.
‘As the pain wasn’t constant, I chose to ignore it and only realised it was full-blown contractions when I visited the ladies’ toilets a bit later. By this point the pain was unbearable and I could barely stand, so my mother-in-law called for help, which is when Michelle and Catherine turned up.
‘Michelle immediately recognised that I was in labour and helped me lie down in the mother and baby cubicle, as I was starting to lose consciousness.’
Mrs Barot, who also has a threeyear-old daughter, added: ‘The staff were so quick to respond and did an amazing job. I am so very grateful and can’t thank them enough.’
Reunited with Mrs Barot yesterday, Miss McKeller said that being a mother-of-two herself helped her know what to do.
‘I was alerted by one of our cleaning staff that a mother was going into labour in the ladies’ toilets,’ she said. ‘I’m glad we were there to help, because it all happened so quickly.’
Silverburn bosses have given the infant £500 worth of baby goodies to celebrate his arrival.
General manager David Pierotti said: ‘This is the first time we have delivered a baby. We are thrilled that Krishna and Nitul have come Delivery: Nitul, now six months old. Inset, his birth certificate back to the centre to visit us and astonished to see that his birth certificate really does say he was born in Silverburn.
‘Hats off to the amazing staff who stepped in and went far beyond the call of duty to deliver Nitul safely.’
Scots babies have arrived in a variety of unusual locations.
In 2013, Ollie Duff was born on the driveway of Donald Trump’s International Golf Links at Balmedie, Aberdeenshire – while Junelle Wilson gave birth on an RNLI lifeboat off Oban in 2009.