Baby named after passing GP who helped emergency delivery in VW Polo
Baby Oriana who was delivered suddenly, with her mum Ruth. - Credit: Archant
A baby who was born suddenly a week early will be named after the doctor her parents are eternally grateful to, who helped deliver her in the front seat of a VW Polo in Hackney.
Ruth Drinkwater was having a quiet night at home Walthamstow when she began going into labour.
Her boyfriend, Dom Millen, said: “While this is not particularly remarkable the speed with which things developed and the kindness of strangers was.”
Dom’s step dad began driving them to Homerton’s maternity unit, but it became apparent from Ruth’s screaming that the birth was imminent and baby Oriana was already on her way out.
They pulled up in Powerscroft Road, and put in a panicked call to the maternity unit.
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Dom said: “At this point daddy, for that is I, was taking the role of chocolate teapot when a passing GP stopped and, despite the screams and drive by type scene, offered her help.
“Five minutes later she had delivered our daughter Oriana and quietly slipped away from the scene while two ambulance crews took over.
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“We did not even have time to get Ruth out of the car so Oriana was actually born on the front passenger seat of a VW Polo.”
He continued: “Ruth was a little over a week early but her labour was very quick - even the midwives were reluctant for me to bring her in when I did – but then escalated in the 15 minutes in the car.”
The pair are extremely grateful to doctor Michelle Kennedy, who works at the Lower Clapton Group practice, and will give their baby the middle name Kennedy.
