Life blossoms in the back of midwife's van

Picture / Martin Sykes

He arrived 10 days early, in the back of a van outside Palmers garden centre in Remuera yesterday morning. Surprised parents Kelly and Fonua Langi don't know what they will call him yet but they have decided on a middle name - Palmer.

The Panmure couple weren't expecting their second child until August 13, so when Mrs Langi started having contractions early yesterday morning they thought it might be a false alarm.

Two-and-a-half hours later they were on their way to Auckland City Hospital in midwife Mary Bowie's van when Mrs Langi said she needed to push. It was 6.30am, dark and cold and they were still 10 minutes from the hospital.

"My midwife said just hold it, hold it we are nearly there but I felt like pushing so she stopped the van," said Mrs Langi.

"I was worried. I was thinking will it be okay for my baby?"

Parked on the side of the road outside Palmers, the Langi's baby boy was born without a hitch at 6.55am, weighing in at 4.055kg.

Mrs Bowie, who has delivered about 500 babies, including some unexpected home deliveries and one at a doctor's surgery, said a van birth was a first for her.

"It worked out well, but a million things could have gone wrong. I'm so grateful," she said.

A relieved Mr Langi said: "I was scared. I didn't know what to do but I'm feeling happy now."