Trefriw nan delivers her own grandchild

Jun 18 2009 by Samantha Castle, North Wales Weekly News

Trefriw woman calls on mum to help home delivery of granddaughter

A WOMAN had to enlist her mum’s help to deliver her baby daughter in 10 minutes flat.

Alison Gilbert from Trefriw had an early morning wake up call on Thursday when her daughter, Joanne Gibbons, unexpectedly went into labour two weeks before her due date.

“I was woken up by frantic knocking at my front door at 4.40am,” explained Alison, 50. “It was my daughter’s partner Lee in a right panic. He said my daughter Joanne had gone into labour.

“Luckily they only live a couple of doors down from me so I rushed over to see if I could help. It was all very exciting but also a worry with the baby being early.”

Alison instructed her daughter’s partner Lee Williams to telephone for an ambulance while she attended to her daughter.

“As soon as I saw my Joanne, I could see the baby was not going to wait any longer. I was going to have to deliver it there and then as the ambulances had quite a way to come.

“Lee took instructions from the ambulance staff over the phone and I tried to make Joanne as comfortable as possible and we delivered the baby between us on the living room floor. It was all over and done with within 10 minutes.

“It was quite a magical moment but over very quickly so I didn’t really have time to panic,” added Alison.

This isn’t the first time Alison has successfully delivered an emergency home birth. Over 25 years ago a similar event happened to her when she lived in Kent.

Alison said: “I’m glad I had the skills and calmness to deal with the situation again especially with it being my family.”

Second time mum Joanne, 27, and new baby daughter Harriet, who weighed a healthy 6lbs 12oz, were allowed to stay at home after ambulance staff gave them a health check.

“Mum was fantastic and the ambulance staff have been great too,” she said.

Alison added: “We wrapped the baby up in a towel while we waited for the ambulance staff to arrive and just stared in wonderment at the little bundle of life before us. Joanne’s son, Ethan Logan, 4, woke up with all the commotion and was there to see the birth of his brand new baby sister.”