Baby delivery on roadside grass verge 'not part of birth plan'

Jess and Todd Wackrow delivered Willow in the middle of a rainy winter's night on the side of a grass verge. Photo/Supplied

A Pukekohe woman who gave birth on a roadside grass verge on the way to hospital this month in the middle of a rainy winter night said the unexpected delivery was "not part of my birth plan".

Jess and Todd Wackrow were expecting their fourth child, Willow, to be born on July 9, but the couple found themselves racing against contractions on July 2 when Willow decided to come into the world early.

"I'd seen my midwife that day and she sort of didn't think anything much was happening," Jess said.

So when she started experiencing small contractions that afternoon, she didn't think much of it.

"Then that night they had started to get worse, but were really, really short, so I called my midwife and she said I should probably start to think about heading to up Middlemore Hospital."

The couple called Jess' mother to come and look after the other children, then jumped in the car to head to hospital. At that point the contractions were only a minute apart. They had only just driven around to the next street when knew the baby was coming.

"I just yelled at my husband to pull over."

Jess got out of the car and onto a grass verge nearby.

"My waters just exploded as soon as I got out of the car. My husband called an ambulance. He spoke with the lady on the phone who was talking him through what to do, and within a couple of minutes her head was born."

An ambulance arrived at 12.48am and in the next two minutes Willow was delivered into their waiting hands.

Despite her surroundings, Jess said her mind was focused on one thing - "just get the baby out".

"I think I was just completely and utterly focused ... I think all my maternal instincts had kicked in."

She didn't think the people living near their impromptu delivery spot even knew what was happening outside. Todd had considered calling Jess' mother, but "it was just all happening so fast".

The paramedics took the group to Pukekohe Hospital, but Jess began haemorraghing and was transferred to Middlemore.

"They did a scan and worked out I had retained some placental membrane."

Jess had to go into theatre to have the rest of the placenta removed. She lost more than a litre of blood, but said she is recovering well from the ordeal.

Looking back on Willow's wild entrance, Jess said it "just seems like a bit of a dream, really".

"I can't believe it. It certainly wasn't on my birth plan to do it like that."

Jess thought Todd felt "quite proud of himself that he delivered the baby".

Jess said she was "really grateful" to the ambulance staff who "arrived in the nick of time".

Willow was doing well and has not suffered any ill-effects from the unplanned delivery.