If there was ever an omen for a life filled with excitement and adventure, surely this is it.
While howling blizzards raged all around, a little girl was brought into the world at the side of the A66.
Daniella Waring went into labour at her home in Catterick, North Yorkshire while Storm Emma wreaked havoc across the UK.
However, as she and her husband Andrew headed for Darlington Memorial Hospital, their very special journey was hampered by the fearsome weather. Their baby was waiting for no-one’s permission to make her dramatic entrance…
Heroic husband Andrew showed some seriously impressive dad skills as he realised he had to deliver his daughter himself.
Crouching outside the passenger door in freezing weather conditions, Andrew delivered the hearty 10lb 1oz baby like a complete pro; all by the side of the extremely busy road.
Speaking with Great North Air Ambulance, Andrew said:
The weather was very bad and I struggled to find somewhere to pull over and barely had time to ring 999 when the baby started coming.
Having been present at the birth of our two other children I just copied what I’d seen then. I opened the passenger door and knelt in the snow to deliver the baby.
Paramedics had to drive back and forth on the hectic road multiple times to locate the Hardy family.
Due to the adverse weather conditions, a Great North Air Ambulance crew had been forced to patrol in a Land Rover. By the time paramedics reached the scene, the baby had already made her frosty debut.
Great North Air Ambulance team Lee Salmon and Philip O’Donnell were first at the scene.
This was closely followed by the North East Ambulance service team, led by paramedic mentor Dave Reynolds who was accompanied by student paramedics Claire Roberts and Iain Stewart.
Amazingly, this was a real baptism of fire – or should I say ice – for final year student Claire, being the first ever birth she’d attended to.
Claire said:
I was concerned about them being on the side of the road in the freezing cold but was very excited as it was my first potential delivery.
When we arrived, the GNAAS crew were already there keeping Sienna warm so it was a case of making sure they were ok, cutting the cord and getting them on board the vehicle and away to hospital as soon as possible.
It was a really lovely experience and it’s great mum and baby are doing well.
The parents resisted the urge to call the newborn Emma, Stormi or Elsa; opting for the rather beautiful name Siennna Louisa Dottie.
Daniella and Siennna were taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital maternity unit, where they’re both said to be doing well, despite their first chilly encounter.
Many people have taken to social media to praise Daniella’s remarkable strength. After all, childbirth is difficult enough without being caught outside in a storm.
One woman gasped: ‘Seriously, give this woman a medal! A ten pound baby, by the side of the road?! Round of applause.’
Another admitted: ‘My eyes are watering both with gladness for you but with the thought of a delivery of a 10 lb baby…..’
Little Sienna has already battled against the terrifying ‘Beast from the East’; a storm which has left many of us adults cowering at home.
Who knows what other brave things she’ll achieve with her brand new life?
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.