Woman gives birth on drive after being sent home from hospital

Hannah Mitchell, from Aldridge, was told she could not be admitted to Walsall Manor Hospital and to return when in full labour.

The 38-year-old said she barely had time to remove her leggings before Ruby Lucia Bryan made an appearance last Thursday.

But the panic was not over as Ruby turned blue and stopped breathing before paramedics stepped in and her breathing returned to normal.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust said it was investigating exactly what happened.

The mum, who was in labour with her second child, said she called triage before going to the hospital.

She said: "I rang a few times as the pain intensified. The first time I rang they were nice. The next two times the doctor was so patronising. She made me feel like I was being a pain, like an inconvenience."

Hannah's partner Phil Bryan, who is a project manager at a roofing company, soon drove them to the hospital, but the couple would never have foreseen that their daughter would be born on their own driveway a short time later.

Hannah, who is a specialist dental nurse at Birmingham Children's Hospital, was examined and hooked up to a machine at the hospital which recorded her contractions.

However, as Hannah was only one centimetre dilated, she was told it was too early for her to remain at Walsall Manor and that she should return when her labour had progressed.

"But if you have had a child before, it can all happen very quickly and they know that," she said.

"I've had a baby before – she's 14 now – and it all comes back to you. You do know when it's your time."

Hannah also said that when she asked for another examination to see if she had progressed past one centimetre, but the doctor refused due to infection risk.

After being given Codeine and anti-sickness medication, Hannah was asked to leave the hospital and her and Phil returned to their car.

The couple, who wanted to wait in the hospital car park, then faced a dilemma when Hannah started feeling the urge to push and was hit with excruciating pain.

"Phil said we should go back in, but I don't like confrontation, so I thought we should just ring them. The doctor could hear me screaming and she told me to calm down. She said to go home, and have a bath and a Paracetamol."

After that, the pair were resigned to going home, and were "baffled" that they had not been told to wait in the hospital.

"We reversed onto the drive and my waters broke," Hannah said. "I got out of the passenger side screaming. I said 'there's no time, she's coming'.

"Phil came around the side of the car and he could feel her head. He pulled down my leggings and I pushed again, and she was born."

Ruby Lucia was born on the evening of Thursday, December 29, on the driveway of her own house.

Her parents rang the paramedics, screaming 'the baby's been born' and a neighbour brought towels to the couple after hearing the commotion.

Luckily, paramedics had received a call for a home birth near the couple's property and as the baby had not yet been born, they could arrive quickly.

Fear soon set in for the couple, however, as Ruby turned blue and stopped breathing.

Her devastated parents asked the paramedics what to do, and told them to tap her shoulders, after which she started breathing again.

"The paramedics were amazing and the lady on the phone was fantastic," Hannah said. "Ruby's fine and we're all okay, but our lives could have been in danger.

"It was only okay because Phil was brilliant. We have a really good relationship and on that night we just worked together. At that critical moment, the strength of our relationship really showed."

She later weighed in at 6lb 8oz (2.95kg) at hospital.

Jo Wright, deputy director of midwifery at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "We are sorry to hear that this lady's birth experience wasn't the one she'd hoped for and have contacted her to offer our support while we investigate exactly what happened.

"Once we have a full understanding we will meet with her to share our findings and look at any areas we can enhance for our service users."

Hannah concluded: "I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with everything, but generally I'm fine and Ruby's fine. That's the main thing.

"We keep forgetting it happened, then it all comes back to us. I think it will take some time to sink in."