BABY Albert Henry made an early arrival into the world when mum Katie Edwards gave birth in the front seat of her car.

The mum had hoped to have her third child at her home in Lower Chapel but was rushed by her mother-in-law, Barbara Edwards, to hospital in Brecon when she began feeling unwell during a day trip to Hay-on-Wye.

However they had only reached the car park of the birth centre at the Breconshire War Memorial Hospital, next to the ambulance station, when the 7lb 1oz baby arrived.

Paramedic Jonathan Cole and ambulance staff member Richard Williams came to Katie’s aid after Barbara ran for help.

“Richard went to get a chair and I had to undress in the front seat of my car. I pulled my trousers down and there was the head right there. They thought there was no sense of urgency. I couldn’t move or speak. Jonathan said don’t push but he was out in two pushes. It was like a sneeze, a pretty painful one.”

Unusually baby Albert Henry was mum-of-three Katie’s second child to be delivered by paramedics. The 33-year-old had also planned to have her first born, Daisy, who’s now four years old, at home but due to heavy snow in January 2013 had decamped to her parents’ farmhouse, just above Llanfaes, Brecon, so she could easily reach the hospital.

But when Daisy came early she had to be delivered by paramedics and became the first baby born at the smallholding in 100 years.

Son Arthur, who is two, was with his mum and gran throughout last Monday, September 25, when his younger brother arrived in a hurry.

“I’ve had two home births, one at my house and another at my parents’, and two have been delivered by paramedics with the latest in the car,” said social worker Katie.

The youngster wasn’t due until two days later when Katie hoped to have a birth with husband Ben at her side.

But after feeling unwell while out in Hay Katie asked her mother-in-law to take her back to her home in Llyswen where she’d parked her car.

As Katie felt unable to drive Barbara took the keys to Katie’s Audi A4 estate to drive her and two-year-old Arthur home – when Katie told her mother in law to head for the hospital instead.

“My water’s broke at the turn off from the A470 to Bishop’s Meadow, Brecon and I said I think we need to go to the birth centre,” said Katie who’d already contacted midwife Debbie Mole.

Dad Ben, 33, a systems service engineer for Chubb Fire and Security, was working in Newtown at the time.

“I phoned him at about 1.30pm and told him I think I’m in labour but I’ve got a while and was going home and would let him known how I get on but he said he was coming straight away. It was so quick it all happened in 25 minutes from my first call to the midwife.

“His mum then had to phone him and say the baby was here.

“Daisy was in school and my mother-in-law went to pick her up and said ‘I’ve got a surprise for you’. Daisy said ‘where are we going Grandma, the play barn?’ and she brought her into the hospital. She was so proud, love her, she wanted a sister but she’s got over that now.”

Mum Katie, who is now at home with baby Albert Henry, said she had been well supported throughout her pregnancy by midwife Jessica Hughes and on Monday by the ambulance staff, midwife Debbie Mole and maternity support worker Linda Edwards.

“It was a job well done by all the staff that day including Linds from the midwifery team who cleaned the car for us afterwards,” said Katie.

Paramedic Jonathan said he came out of his office at the ambulance station when Barbara approached Richard who was cleaning his non-emergency patient transport vehicle.

“I could hear a little bit of a commotion outside so I stepped out of the office, went out into the car park and a lady said: ‘My daughter-in-law’s waters have broken, can somebody help?’

“I walked up to the vehicle and could see the lady was in labour. She said she needed to push, and I did ask if she could hold from pushing because the delivery suite was just below us. Obviously nature had taken its course though, so I delivered the baby there and then in the front passenger seat of the car. While I was delivering the baby my colleague Richard went to collect a midwife, but when they got back the baby had already arrived.”

Richard, who’s been with the ambulance service for 16 years, said: “It was just a normal afternoon and I was sorting the vehicle out when the lady came up to me and asked for help.

“I went to get the midwives while Jon followed out and went to the car. As we came back out Jon said the baby’s head was showing, and by the time I’d fetched the gloves and stretcher the baby was delivered.

“We got the lady and her baby onto the stretcher and took her down the ramp to the birthing centre, which is right next to us.

“From her mother-in-law coming up to the car park to the delivery must have been no more than seven minutes to be honest. It definitely made the day more interesting.”