The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Woman passed driving test then delivered baby
Antonia Dougan went into labour just half an hour after she got her licence
A Dundee woman put the brakes on celebrations for passing her driving test when she went into labour half an hour after the test ended.
Antonia Dougan, 26, passed her practical test with flying colours on Thursday, despite being heavily pregnant.
But she found herself on the way to hospital within minutes after her final manoeuvre where she had to undergo an emergency caesarean section to save her and her new son Bowie’s lives due to complications linked to her pregnancy.
Antonia, from Kirkton, said she believes an emergency stop she carried out during the test may have jolted her into labour.
She said: “I was up at 6am to get breakfast to be ready for my test.
“I felt a few pains but I didn’t think anything of it. I just thought I was worried about the test.
“During the test I felt off but I was concentrating really hard on passing and I just ignored it.
“I got home around 10.30am then half an hour later I was on my way to hospital.
“An emergency stop was one of the manoeuvres I had to do and that worried me a bit. I think that helped Bowie on his way.
“The pain was intense – it was really sore – and it kept getting worse.
“I got to the hospital and I was rushed into theatre.”
Antonia said she was “terrified” throughout the ordeal.
However, just four hours after taking the L-plates off, she was holding a new passenger for her car, weighing in at 6lb 15oz.
She said: “It was really quick after I went into theatre.
“They didn’t really explain what was going on and everything happened so fast.”
Antonia, who is a carer for her sixyear-old twins Legion and Callum, paid tribute to partner Shaun Davidson for supporting her through the drama.
She also thanked her instructor at Claypotts & Dryburgh Driving School and the staff who cared for her at Ninewells.