Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Little Mimi pops out – under the Christmas tree
AMUM went into labour at home and gave birth – under the Christmas tree. Leanne Tighe, 38, was expecting her third child to be born a couple of days later.
But the healthcare assistant had the baby under her Christmas tree on the living room floor in the space of only 25 minutes.
Leanne’s neighbour and best friend Ashley Brooke delivered baby Amelia, who will be known as Mimi.
The pair then sent a photo of the baby to Leanne’s partner Cameron Lawlor, who was still on a bus on his way home.
He arrived just in time to cut the umbilical cord at the house in Williton, Somerset.
Leanne said: “She was delivered on the living room floor right in front of my Christmas tree.
“I guess if there is one way to cement a friendship, then delivering your friend’s baby must be right up there.’’
Leanne’s due date was December 2, but at about 6.30am last Thursday her waters broke.
She called Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, to tell the midwives she would be going in when Cameron returned from his night shift.
Leanne said: “I had slept on the sofa and woken up with contractions about 4.30am but because they were nine minutes apart, they do not class it as established labour until they are down to five minutes.
“Then I had four close together and I phoned Musgrove to ask about going in and as I was on my phone when my waters broke and they said to make my way in.
“As I changed position, that made baby start to come and I needed to push.”
Leanne’s 14-year-old daughter Ruby was just getting ready for school and as she came downstairs baby Mimi’s head was already out.
Ruby immediately called for help from Ashley, who lives across the road.
Leanne said: “I had spoken to Ashley half an hour before and she expected to walk in and see me walking around with contractions.
“She was not expecting me to be on my hands and knees and baby’s head to be hanging out. So Ashley got onto her knees and delivered baby under instructions from the nurse who had stayed on the phone with us.
“The nurse on the phone was amazing and I would love to find out who she was, and the paramedics who came as well. If they read this and can get in touch I would love to thank them properly.”
Two double-crewed ambulances were sent while Leanne’s baby was being delivered but arrived 17 minutes afterwards.
Mum and baby were then taken into Musgrove for checks, where Mimi weighed in at a healthy 8lbs 8oz.
Leanne, who also has a son Jay, aged 17, said her shortest labour had been eight hours, so it was a complete shock to have a baby in just 25 minutes.
She said: “There was no clue that anything like this was going to happen.
“I did it without pain relief but it was so quick I did not have time to think about it.
“I was just worried about the head and I was panicking a bit and was not registering pain or anything because I was trying to hang on until the paramedics got there.
“But once the head came out I knew I had to concentrate and get it together and stay calm.”