A North Shore woman was forced to give birth unassisted at home yesterday, with only her toddler there for comfort and support.
Megan Yates was on the phone to the St John Ambulance when baby Ashley decided to make an appearance at the family's Narrow Neck home.
Mrs Yates said she had not realised the birth could happen so quickly, but found a wee helper in daughter Shannon, who turns 2 in July.
Shannon came into her bedroom before and after the short labour, said Mrs Yates.
"She said, 'uh oh, mummy's sore' and gave me a little kiss on my leg, then wandered off to watch television."
After watching the children's television show Hi-5, Shannon returned to the room and saw her newborn sister.
She then went to fetch some toilet paper to help clean up.
Mrs Yates, 33, said her water broke at 6am and contractions started at 7.15. She called her midwife, Mary Wood, at 7.45 but left a message because Mrs Wood was in the shower.
At 7.50am, Mrs Yates rang husband Chris to say he had better make his way home from work.
Ten minutes later, she rang Mrs Wood and said her contractions were four minutes apart.
Mrs Wood told her to call an ambulance and she would meet her at North Shore Hospital.
At 8.05, Mrs Yates was on the phone to St John Ambulance dispatcher Olive Taylor when Ashley decided it was time to arrive.
Ms Taylor takes up the story: "She said, 'I'm about to have my baby', and as she said that she made a loud noise and delivered".
Ms Taylor talked her through the after-birth care of the baby and herself, then offered to ring Mr Yates on his cellphone.
"He was shocked. I told him he had a baby girl. He was over the moon."
The unassisted mother said she did not have time to be scared. The phone conversation with Ms Taylor was calming, and she knew help was on the way.
Mrs Wood said it was only the second unassisted birth in her 14 years of midwife practice. In the other case, the husband had helped to deliver the baby while Mrs Wood talked him through it.
"In this case I think instinct took over."
It was not uncommon for a St John Ambulance dispatcher to talk through a birth over the phone, but often the mother had adult family members with her.
Yesterday's delivery was "quite rare" as Mrs Yates was home with only a toddler and delivered the baby while on the telephone.
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