Five-minute baby birth
Swift delivery for first-time mother
A COUPLE believe they have secured a world record for the fastest birth – after their baby arrived just five minutes after the mother went into labour.
First-time mother Daisy Stewart gave birth to Poppy at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, with her contractions and the birth taking a total of five minutes and 17 seconds.
After learning of the lightning quick delivery, Guinness World Records has now confirmed it is considering introducing a new category for fast births – with Daisy likely to clinch the title.
The 20-year-old, from Dundee, had been warned to expect hours of pain but midwives were apparently left amazed when 6lb 3oz Poppy arrived after just three pushes.
For new mothers labour can last up to 18 hours.
But Poppy’s birth was so swift officials from Guinness have invited her parents to submit an application to set the record.
Ms Stewart said: “I had been in hospital for a few days and they discovered I had pre-eclampsia.
“Although I was four weeks premature, they induced me because they wanted the baby to be delivered early.
“They said it would be a slow, painful process of two to three days before I would give birth.”
But just after 10pm last Monday, Poppy stunned everyone with her prompt arrival.
Ms Stewart said: “I was getting contractions but the nurse said it was going to be at least 10 hours before the birth.
“I said I couldn’t get through 10 hours of that pain.
“They got me into the labour suite and within minutes my partner Keiran had to go outside and get the midwife because I needed to push.
“I don’t think she believed me but then she came in and said: ‘I believe we’re going to have a baby here’. I pushed once and she said, ‘there’s the head’. I pushed two more times and then Poppy arrived. “It was all a bit surreal.” New dad Keiran Watson was left open-mouthed by his quick introduction to parenthood.
He said: “When Poppy arrived, Daisy actually said: ‘Is that it? That was easy’.”
After a brief scare about Poppy’s health, she has been able to go home. Ms Stewart said said: “She’s a brilliant baby, we’ve been getting nine hours sleep at night.”
A Guinness World Records spokeswoman said: “We celebrate achievement of any kind.”
Phyllis Winters, midwifery team manager at Ninewells Hospital, said: “For the successful delivery of a first baby, the average length of active labour is about 12 to 18 hours – and can be longer, of course.
“Women expecting a subsequent baby can expect the labour to last about six to eight hours.”