The day my son was born, my waters had broken early in the afternoon but with no contractions, the hospital told me to come in in my own time. I waited for my husband and then he, my daughter and my large self climbed aboard the tram from St Kilda to Melbourne CBD (approx 40min). The whole way there we joked that I would be sent home.
The second I stepped off the tram, my waters came quite heavily and we quickly walked to emergency. Within 2 minutes I had full contractions and quite alot of pain. I used the bathroom and couldn’t lift myself from the toilet. The nurse told me to calm down, the baby wasn’t coming for a long time. She had a quick check, saw the baby’s head and buzzed for help!
45 minutes later, my 9lb 3oz boy was born!!
All the staff thought it was mad that I caught the tram and joked he could have been born on the way!
Family: Welcoming the newest member!
My wife and I welcomed a beautiful baby boy yesterday. What a special moment for our family – to witness such a miracle.
We’ve heard many special, moving, incredible and sometimes funny birth stories from relatives and other women in the hospital. I’m now wondering how common it is to have an unusual delivery story.
There are somewhat common cases, such as giving birth in the car – not quite making it to the hospital – or in a bathroom, and there are those more unique cases as welcoming the newest member of the family on a plane or in a department store.
Those last two examples come with their own urban legends. Rumor has it that if you give birth on a plane, you receive free flights for life, and if you give birth in a department store, it provides many gifts for baby and mother.
Our delivery in a hospital seems rather mundane in comparison!
What unusual birth stories do you have in your family? Were any of your relatives born in unusual circumstances? Did you give birth on a plane and get free flights?
We’d love to hear about your experiences. Share them in the comments below.
Siobhan Spurle
April 17, 2012
I was born on a ferry going from Liverpool to Belfast in 1968. I was delivered by the Ship’s Matron and I was almost 11 weeks early and weighed 3 pounds 3 ozs. My parents were living in Liverpool but were originally from Lisburn, County Antrim. My mother was going home to visit her parents.
The Belfast Steam Ship Company gave me free travel between Liverpool and Belfast for life, unfortunately after they were bought out in the 1970’s I lost my entitlement.