Opportunity knocks for babycare lesson
Katy Morton
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Staff got a shock when a woman gave birth in their nursery car park - and may have recruited a new nursery member.
Staff at Busy Bees Nursery in Bromborough, Wirral, were alerted by a man knocking at their door at 8am looking for help for his pregnant partner, who was in the late stages of labour and unable to make it to the nearby hospital.
Nursery manager Berny McHugh said that the couple had stopped in the nursery car park en route to the hospital because the setting shares a site with a GP surgery and clinic. But only the nursery was open at the time.
Ms McHugh called an ambulance and relayed information that was given to her by the emergency services to the father, while her colleagues Irolida De Franca and Sue Lambert went to check on the new mother.
Ms McHugh said, 'The whole experience was amazing and unbelievable. The baby was born within seconds.'
Staff wrapped the baby boy, named William Joseph, in blankets and waited until an ambulance arrived to take them to Arrowe Park Hospital in Birkenhead.
The nursery sent flowers and balloons to the proud parents and it has since offered William a nursery place for three months at no cost.
Staff also used the day's events to their advantage by creating a unique learning experience for the nursery children, whom they taught how to feed, bathe and dress a baby doll.
Ms McHugh said, 'The children saw the ambulance in the car park, which provoked discussion about the emergency services. We took this a step further by teaching them about babies.'
