A mother from New Zealand has unexpectedly given birth to her baby daughter in a car park of a hospital – while her husband was busy trying to get help.
Kelly Armstrong, 31, of Christchurch, gave birth to her fourth child, Acacia, an hour after she went into labour on February 16.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Mrs Armstrong said her waters broke at 6.45am that morning and by 7.30am she had already started having strong contractions.
Kelly Armstrong, 31, (pictured left) gave birth to her daughter Acacia in a hospital car park while her husband was busy trying to get help
And she revealed the day was made even more dramatic because the couple were also preparing to bury her husband’s father who had died recently.
Recalling the event, the mother-of-four said not long after her contractions started her husband decided to rush to his mother’s house to say goodbye to his father because he assumed he wouldn’t make it to the funeral.
Although Mr Armstrong was gone for less than an hour, Mrs Armstrong said during that time things had become ‘really intense’.
The mum-of-four revealed that her baby was born within an hour of her first contraction
As soon as he arrived home she said the couple headed straight to Christchurch Women’s Hospital – a nine-minute drive – through early morning rush-hour traffic – from their home.
‘I started pushing on my way to the hospital and she started crowning halfway through our drive.’
Once the couple arrived, Mr Armstrong rushed to get help for his wife.
Baby Acacia: Within an hour of being born the Armstrong’s new daughter headed to the grandfather’s funeral
Mrs Armstrong said that because the contractions were happening so fast, she didn’t have any choice but to deliver her baby herself.
‘Basically, I birthed her on my own in the front seat of the car.’
A team of midwives showed up just seconds later and took the new mother and baby straight into the birthing suite.
Midwives showed up seconds after Mrs Armstrong gave birth and took her straight into the birthing suite
Mrs Armstrong said daughter was born healthy apart from needing a little oxygen
‘She was perfectly well and healthy and she just needed a bit of oxygen,’ Mrs Armstrong said of her daughter, who arrived weighing eight pounds.
Within an hour of baby Acacia’s birth, the couple were given the all-clear from medical staff to go to Mr Armstrong’s father’s funeral.
Mr Armstrong told Daily Mail Australia the event was particularly significant for the family as his father Ray had really wanted a granddaughter.
Midwife Wendy McFarlane (pictured) drove the couple, with baby Acacia in tow, to the funeral of Mr Armstrong’s father
‘It was Acacia’s only chance to meet him. We took her up to the casket and she had a look. We did what we had to do,’ he said.
The couple, with their new daughter, in tow, was driven to the funeral by midwife Wendy McFarlane who stayed with them for the service and the burial.
Mrs Armstrong said she hadn’t really had a chance to come to grips with everything that had happened over the last few days.
‘The emotions haven’t really hit me yet, but when they do I know there will be tears.’
The Armstrong’s new daughter is doing well and there have been no issues following her birth
The Armstrong’s have three sons already – a 13-year old, a three-year-old and another baby who is aged just 10-months.
Mrs Armstrong said her daughter’s early arrival came as a surprise as she wasn’t due until March 5.
The family said baby Acacia is doing well, and there have been no problems following her birth.
‘She’s amazing and she’s so sweet. She’s placid and just goes with the flow,’ Mrs Armstrong concluded.