When it comes to childbirth, the waiting game can vary greatly for parents. While some endure hours of labor in the hospital, others experience an unexpectedly quick delivery. Such was the case for fitness coach Jade Mead, residing in Perth, Australia.
Jade and her husband embarked on a race to reach the birth center as soon as she sensed the onset of labor with their daughter, Lottie. However, circumstances took an unforeseen turn, forcing them to pull over on the side of the freeway for an impromptu delivery.
As Jade, 35, recalled, “We were driving on the freeway, trying to make it to the birth center, but my body started pushing, and my husband knew we weren’t going to make it. He kept reassuring me that everything was going to be okay and that I could do this.”
While waiting for paramedics to arrive, Jade’s husband sprang into action, but their wait was brief. In just four pushes, baby Lottie made her swift entrance into the world.
Reflecting on the experience, Jade shared, “My husband said that a fair few cars drove past, but they probably didn’t realize what was happening because it was dark and in an industrial area. He also had taken his shirt off to cover me up, so he probably looked a bit wild running around the car with no shirt on. At the time, I was definitely in shock, and my body was shaking and shivering, I think from adrenaline.”
While paramedics ultimately arrived to assist with the final stages of the birth, it was Jade’s husband who had the honor of catching baby Lottie as she emerged. “He is chuffed that he was the one who delivered her,” Jade revealed. “I’m just grateful that both baby and I were completely fine, and now we have a pretty cool story to tell our daughter about how she was born, told Wales Online.
Merely ten hours later, Jade, her husband, and baby Lottie were back home, introducing their new addition to her older sister, Marli. Jade described the heartwarming scene, saying, “Marli walked up to the bassinet, all cute and shy. She greeted the baby and then asked me if the baby had hands because she was wrapped up. We sat Marli on the bed so she could hold the baby. She said the baby looks so cute and that she is going to call her Lottie.”
Jade continued, “While Marli was holding the baby, all of a sudden she said to me, ‘Oh, I’ve got one more thing for you,’ and she grabbed my face and gave me a kiss. I asked her, ‘Thank you, what was that for?’ and she said, ‘That’s for you. You look stunning and beautiful.’ My heart melted. It’s been almost three weeks now, and Marli has been such a great big sister, helping us with the baby and always wanting to hold and cuddle her.”
