A Moray mum had to give birth to her son at the roadside with only her husband on hand, after being told to travel to Aberdeen.
The shocked dad pulled over on the A96 and became a roadside midwife without medical assistance on May 22, tying the baby’s cord with a shoelace.
The couple – who do not wish to be named – shared their “very scary experience” in the hope it can prevent other families going through the same fate.
It’s the second time in six months that a Moray mum has had to give birth at the side of the road.
Almost three quarters of births have been referred to Aberdeen or Inverness since the maternity unit in Elgin was “temporarily” downgraded in 2018.
NHS Grampian apologised to the couple for the “distressing situation”.
Health officials vowed to achieve a solution for Moray families still struggling with dependable local care “as soon as possible”.
My husband was driving and measuring contractions but he pulled over when he saw the head coming out.
The unnamed woman was told to go to Aberdeen Maternity Hospital due to suffering the condition pre-eclampsia with a previous labour.
After calling the hospital when her waters broke, the pair were advised to leave their home in Moray when the contractions reached 30 seconds.
‘I was begging for gas and air’
Around 30 minutes to an hour later, the woman’s contractions sped up and the couple decided to begin the journey, concerned that with “slow drivers, traffic and road works” they might not get there in time.
The woman said: “My contractions got to 20 seconds and then I had the urge to push.
“My husband was driving and measuring contractions but he pulled over when he saw the head coming out. I was begging for gas and air.
“When he pulled over, I felt the need to jump out of the car and get on all fours but because the floor was hard, my husband begged me to stay half in and half out of the car.
“He came around, I put my legs on his shoulders, and pushed the rest of the baby out.
“He checked there was no cord around the neck. Put baby on my chest and and used my cardigan and took his shirt off to keep baby warm.”
‘Still recovering from stress’
An ambulance arrived 15 minutes after the delivery to take the woman to hospital.
But the mum says her husband is “still recovering from the stress” of delivering his son by the roadside.
We should have gone to Inverness or Elgin. Even if it ends up upsetting professionals at other hospitals.
She told the Keep Mum campaign group: “He was worried about stillbirth, if my blood pressure was normal or not, and baby hitting the ground if he did not catch it in time.
“He tied a shoelace to the cord.”
“My husband was driving, timing my contractions and called an ambulance in the car with a headset.
“He said he wished he went with his gut feeling over listening to what we were told now.
“We should have gone to Inverness or Elgin. Even if it ends up upsetting professionals at other hospitals.”
‘Outcome could have been different’
Marj Adams, a Keep Mum campaigner, said families in Moray face a “really serious situation”.
She added: “That was a terrible experience for both the expectant mum and her partner and we are glad that everything ended well with a healthy mum and a healthy baby.
“But the outcome could have been quite different and the outcome might be different for other people.”
The Scottish Government confirmed last month its plan is to eventually allow the majority of pregnant women in Moray to give birth at Dr Gray’s.
But an independent review into Moray maternity services found it could take up to a decade for this to happen.
‘Wake up call’
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, who has campaigned on the issue for several years, said these first-hand accounts should act as a “wake up call” for the government.
Mr Ross and wife Krystle had to make the 65-mile journey from Elgin to Aberdeen for her to give birth last year, after their son’s heart beat started to dip.
The Highlands and Islands MSP said: “For us the fear of Krystle giving birth on next to the road was bad enough, but now more couples are actually living this nightmare with their child born at the roadside.”
‘Truly sorry’
Alasdair Pattinson, hospital general manager at Dr Gray’s, said: “We are truly sorry about this experience and for the way this has left a mum and her family feeling. That isn’t something we want anyone to have to go through.
“Unfortunately we’re bound by medical confidentiality so aren’t able to publicly comment on the details of individual cases, however our senior midwifery lead at Dr Gray’s Hospital has spoken to the family directly today to understand the detail and offer a personal apology.
“We are determined to achieve a sustainable, long-term solution for mums-to-be in Moray and we will continue to work with our partners, including Moray parents, NHS Highland, the Scottish Ambulance Service as well as the Scottish Government, to reach the goals set out for us by the Cabinet Secretary.
“We are working hard to achieve the solution for Moray families as soon as possible.
“In the meantime, Dr Gray’s Maternity Unit continues to provide excellent and safe care.
“Once again – we’d like to publicly apologise to the family who had to go through this distressing situation.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “This is a distressing story I and am happy to hear that both mother and baby are both doing well and whole heartedly sympathise with the family for the stress this situation undoubtedly caused them.
“It shows first hand that safe maternity care as close to home as practicable is vital. It is why I heard directly from those most affected, namely local people and the clinicians working in both Dr Gray’s and Raigmore hospitals before committing £10 million to supporting NHS Highland and NHS Grampian.
“Returning to a consultant-led service at Dr Gray’s will require significant investment in the infrastructure and workforce, and solving complex systemic problems, such as recruitment and retention.
“We need to allow NHS Grampian time to do this as well as the work they, and NHS Highland, are doing to deliver short term improvements in maternity care and the planning for the long term ambition for consultant-led services.
“Both health boards have begun developing timelines for these with plans for the interim Networked model due in the summer, and for the consultant-led unit by the end of this year. I recently met with both NHS Grampian and Highland to discuss and believe them to be on track with having the initial plans developed by summer.”