A father-to-be was so hungry during the birth of his daughter that he decided to get a takeaway delivered to the hospital.
Tariq Quareshy, 23, and his partner Cardine Frank Whitmore, 22, both from Leicester, had been planning to have a home birth, but as complications with her blood pressure arose, the midwives assisting them took the decision to rush the mother-to-be to hospital.
The pair arrived at 4pm but by 10pm Tariq was feeling peckish and was worried it would be an ‘all nighter’.
He then used the food delivery app Deliveroo to order a cheeseburger, fries and a side of buffalo wings to the Kensington hospital wing at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Tariq Quareshy was worried that his girlfriend’s labour would go on well in to the night so he decided to take care of his hunger
The car salesman ordered a takeaway using the food delivery app Deliveroo to get a cheeseburger, chicken wings and fries to the hospital wing
After Cardine decided that she wanted to have an at-home birth, Tariq was unprepared to make a sudden dash to the hospital when the midwives weren’t happy with her blood pressure.
Having worked all day, the car salesman hadn’t had a chance to eat so decided to set up an account and order a Deliveroo while he waited for his baby to be born.
Within 20 minutes Tariq’s cheeseburger and chips meal was with him in the ward, which he was eating in between rubbing Cardine’s back through labour.
Tariq, from Hamilton, Leicester, said: ‘I was starving, I hadn’t eaten all day and I didn’t know how long we were going to be there.
‘I asked the midwife if she wanted to order anything, but she gave me a stern look and said no.
‘I had never ordered with Deliveroo before so I had to make an account – but when I made my order I put on the note that my girlfriend was in labour.
‘The meal arrived within 20 minutes and when I went downstairs to meet the guy he was shaking, he’d looked like he’d cycled really fast to get here.
‘I asked him if he wanted me to check over my order, but he just told me to get back up there because the baby was coming.
‘Right before I came down Cardine’s mum told me that if I missed it I was going to regret it for the rest of my life, because Cardine was pushing at the time.
‘After I ran back upstairs me and Cardine’s mum took it in turns to rub her back, and when she was rubbing her back, I’d be eating.’
Cardine’s mother warned Tariq he would regret missing the labour if he didn’t get back quickly but luckily he was back in time to see his daughter arrive
Cardine was not impressed when Tariq offered her a chicken wing after the delivery was over and he said his chips were still hot
Tariq’s order had arrived at roughly 10pm and his baby was welcomed into the world at 11.04pm.
Tariq added: ‘My chips were still hot when the baby came out!
‘After our baby was born Cardine went back to sleep because she was so exhausted.
‘When she woke up she asked me what all of the bags were, so I told her we’d ordered a deliveroo, and she kept asking if I was joking.
‘So I offered her a buffalo wing, but she just swore at me.’
Deliveroo said: ‘We’re sure every mum-to-be would love a delivery in 30 minutes.’
They kindly sent the new parents a baby grow and a £250 voucher as a gift: ‘We’re on a mission to bring everyone great food so it was an honour to deliver to Tariq and his girlfriend their first ever family meal!
‘After-all, who wouldn’t want a burger after a hard day’s labour.’