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 Mick, Frankie, Debbie and Freddie Winston with neighbour Lorraine Hopkins
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Neighbour turns midwife in bedroom birth drama
It was the ideal labour, says friend who rushed to help mum-to-be
A BABYSITTER was forced to play midwife when a family friend went into labour two weeks early.
When expectant mother Debbie Winston, 40, woke with a stomach ache last Wednesday morning, she had no idea husband Mick and neighbour Lorraine Hopkins would be delivering her baby in the bedroom at her home in Southampton Road, Gospel Oak, less than an hour later.
Mrs Hopkins, 39, who lives in the same road with husband Neil and sons Jack and Luke, rushed round to the Winstons’ home at 6am to babysit their two-year-old son Frankie while Mr Winston took his wife to hospital.
But before they knew it, little 6lb 4oz Freddie had decided he wasn’t going to wait. Mr Winston, 37, phoned 999 and was told his wife would not make it to hospital.
Royal Free clerical worker Mrs Hopkins, who is Frankie’s godmother, explained: “They said: ‘Get her undressed, she’s going to give birth’. I’ve never seen any babies being born except for my own sons.”
While Mr Winston relayed instructions from the telephone, Mrs Hopkins sprang into action.
She said: “They told me to grab the towels and get ready to catch. No one was panicking, we were in shock.
“Debbie had two more contractions then the head was out. I was there with the baby’s head on the towel waiting for the body to come out. Then it sort of flew out. It was lucky there were no complications. It was the ideal labour.”
She added: “It was exciting but nerve-wracking. I can’t believe I delivered a baby. I walked into the Southampton pub and they all cheered.”
Mrs Winston, who described the experience as “a mixture of sheer terror and panic”, had to give birth without anything to ease the pain. She said: “It was excruciating.”
Freddie’s proud father wept when he saw his new-born son. He said: “It was unbelievable. I was crying my eyes out. I wanted to thank the guy on the phone. I didn’t even get his name.”
The couple are hoping Freddie’s arrival will signal a happy future. Mr Winston’s cousin, Tommy Winston, was murdered last year. Mr Winston said: “It was a bit of a bad year. First, we lost Tommy, then our grandfather died.
“My niece is expecting in a couple of months. I hope this is going to be a good year.”
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