The moment a mother gave birth in the front seat of her car on the way to hospital was captured on film by her 10-year-old son.
The footage shows the mum with her feet on the dashboard of the car, as the dad, Michael Addison, tries to drive as quickly – but as safely – as possible to the hospital, which was apparently only a 10-minute ride away.
A few minutes into the journey however, it became clear the baby – which the family have named Joilee – wasn’t going to wait for the hospital, appearing around four minutes after they’d set off.
The moment was captured on film by the baby’s big brother, ten-year-old Jayden, who was recording a ‘pre-baby delivery video’.
Dad Michael told ABC13:
We were making a pre-baby delivery video to get ready to welcome our baby into the world, for the future.
We didn’t expect it to happen within the next four minutes!
According to the news channel, staff at the hospital dubbed the newborn the ‘Infiniti baby’, as she was born in the family’s Infiniti car.
Speaking to the camera in the car, dad Michael says:
Joilee, it’s your father, I just want to let you know, you’re making a grand appearance in my car; we are on the way to the hospital, we love you, and we’ll see you soon.
We just want to say a prayer, and we pray that you’re delivered safely and healthy, and we just can’t wait to put our hands on you. Anything you guys want to say?
Michael’s son Jayden, more concerned with the practical matters at hand, simply replies:
Hurry up.
You can watch the video here:
A few minutes later, the mum calmly announces: ‘The baby’s out’.
Starting to panic a bit more, Michael says: ‘Get her, hold her up. Oh sh*t. Where’s the hospital?’
Shortly after, baby Joilee starts crying in the car just as the family approach the hospital.
Since the incident, both mum and baby are said to be healthy and recovering well.
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.