Sorry, but that bloke who "delivered" the baby with the help of a 999 operator....

[beansprout]

... what exactly did he do?

Seems he is getting a lot of credit for basically being a bystander!!

I was amazed at the statistic that said 1 baby a week is delivered like that, with the operator on the end of the phone as the only help ! {shock]

Maybe I missed something but why was it on the news at all if it is such a common occurrence?

I think it was because they have released the recording of the call. You only have to hear one groan from his wife to know who is actually doing all the work!

He, er, wrote it up.

(He's quite a nice bloke, I've talked to him for work.)

(But I take your point.)

(But then that's what blokes do, in childbirth. Even the ones who say We're Pregnant and/or We've Had The Baby, with stunning anatomical ignorance.)

He seems very nice indeed but he didn't deliver that baby!!

Btw MI, did I tell you that my old line manager (short, red face, smelt of fish) is now working for The League Against Cruel Sports? Bizarre, given that he had no leanings in that direction whatsoever!!!!

Well no.

Good grief.

Indeed!

At least he wasn't whining about the sight of blood, or sleeping, or ranting down the phone to the garage about the delivery of his new motorbike, or sucking deep on the gas & air...

All of which I have seen devoted husbands do whilst their wives are pushing out the Fruit Of Their Loins.

Lovely family but I was a bit surprised that the baby is now 5 months old so if the story is "news" why didn't it come out before now?

Or complaining 'he didn't feel part of the birth' as a friend's husband did.

My partner was fairly pointless during both of my births, but in a perfectly pleasant way.

Message withdrawn

Mine slept in a chair in the delivery room and then complained his neck hurt!!!!

Mine messed about with the buttons on the machines the minute the MW left the room.

Mine flopped down on a chair, complained about the bloody traffic and said Well I'm here now, what do you want me to do? Grrrrrrr.

My Dp told everyone that he had to stand up all night while I just lay there !!!

That happened to me although the paramedic arrived about 2 minutes before DS2 was born. I never even made the local paper!

Can't see why that was news 5 months after the event and when it is so common.

dh did this. exactly the same scenario - mw stuck in traffic.

Isn't he one of the writers for the Guardian? Does the ethical/environmental stuff?

whilst dh and I were wodnering what made this news I don't agree that the bloke in this situation is a bystander. crucially they check the umbilical cord isn;t round the neck and they catch them. (on your treasured pristine White Co. dressing gown if you;re really lucky)

If she was waiting for a midwife, was she expecting to have a home birth anyway.

So the story is, 'Woman planning homebirth has baby at home'.