Drama as Barnsley grandma delivers daughter's baby in back of car - saving grandson's life
A proud grandma says she is 'thrilled' after helping deliver her daughter's baby in the back seat of her car and also saving the newborn’s life.
Sonja Cook, aged 46, was letting Shelby and her partner Ryan Butler’s three other children into her house when she heard her daughter shout 'it's coming' from the back seat of their red Vauxhall Zafira.
The couple decided to drop their kids off at Sonja's home in Grimethorpe, Barnsley, before driving to Barnsley Hospital, where Shelby had planned to give birth.
After finding Shelby on the back seat she dialled 999 and requested an ambulance but before it arrived Sonja was able to successfully deliver her daughter's baby boy, Mason.
But it wasn't all smooth sailing as after Mason was delivered, he wasn't breathing and had turned blue, as he had been born with his mother's amniotic sac covering his face.
But it was Sonja's quick thinking that saved Mason's life after she removed it and made sure he was breathing.
Sonja said: "The whole time I was telling myself ‘this is not happening’.
"I had watched TV programmes before where stuff like goes on but I couldn't believe it was happening to me.
"Delivering Mason was terrifying as his life was in my hands and of course I wanted to make sure he was okay.
" After I saw his head he just flew out, he didn't want to be inside any longer.
"Mason is doing absolutely amazing, he is a such a lovely baby."
Mum Shelby added: "It was quite scary, but it all happened quite fast.
"I was scared when I couldn't hear him cry and that's what you want to hear.
"I'm thankful that my mum did was she did to save Mason's life.
“I’ve now got two boys and two girls, but this was the craziest birth.
“But he’s doing really well now.
“He’s been brilliant.”
Shelby was one week overdue when she arrived flustered at her mum's house on Tuesday, August 6.
Sonja, a manager at TY Caravans LTD, has told how Shelby had spent the previous day in Barnsley Hospital after having contractions but returned home after being told she would have to wait for a labour bed.
But the nanny has revealed how at 4.22am the next day she received a call from her daughter saying she was having stomach pains, and that she thought the baby was coming.
Sonja told her to drive over to her house, where she lives with her husband Brannan Cook, 41, to drop off her three other children - Sophie, 9, Lexi, 8, and Noah, 4 - before heading to the hospital.
But just minutes after Shelby arrived at 4.39am Sonja found herself having to deliver the baby herself.
She said: "At 4.22am she rang me sounding quite distressed and in pain.
"So I just said to get the kids out of the way and bring them over to me, and me and my husband will look after them.
"She was worried she wouldn't be accepted into hospital because her contractions weren't every three minutes but I just said ‘go, just in case there are any complications’.
"When they arrived Ryan and I got the kids out of the back seats I heard him say ‘it's coming' and she was trying to push, but her water hadn't broken."
Sonja said she saw Shelby get out of the front seat and lie down in the back.
The nanny said: "She got out and said 'move the kid’s car seat' and laid on the backseat.
"I turned the back lights of the car on and my husband attached a torch to the door.
"I called an ambulance and they talked me through what to do.
"They asked me if I could see the baby's head and I couldn't but as soon as I looked back Shelby screamed ‘the baby's coming’ and his head popped out.
"He then literally flew out into my arms - and I couldn't believe what had just happened."
But Sonja's delight was quashed when the ambulance asked if baby was crying and that's when she realised something was wrong.
She said: "The men were running around to get towels and blankets to keep the baby warm.
"That's when I noticed he wasn't crying.
"I began patting his back and rubbing his airways but still nothing.
"He began turning bluey green, and I was panicking, but that's when I felt a thin sack over his face which I pulled off and sure enough he started having a little cry.
"He turned that colour as it was a cold morning.
"It was dark in the back of the car so I couldn't see it at first.
"But it was a huge relief."
Mason's birth is known as an 'en caul birth' where the amniotic sac, or caul, covered his face meaning he couldn't breathe.
The sac normally breaks during labour - when the 'water breaks' - but can remain unbroken with the baby still inside, according to the NHS.
At around 5.15am the ambulance then arrived and swiftly took Shelby, Sonja, and little Mason to Barnsley Hospital where they performed check-ups.
He weighed eight pounds and five ounces.
Whilst at the hospital she dressed Mason before returning home at 11.30am.
Sonja said: "I've been there for each of my grandchildren's births.
"But to actually deliver your final grandson was terrifying."
"Mason really content, he's a good healthy baby, and now we have a good story to tell him when he is older."