A woman who went into labour en route to hospital drove her car into a roundabout to grab motorists’ attention.
Abe Adetella, who is in her late 30s, gave birth at the side of a road on the outskirts of Kilkenny city on Wednesday night.
Ms Adetella was driving to St Luke's General Hospital in Kilkenny from her home in Carlow town when she went into labour.
Speaking from her hospital ward, the mother of four said: “I was driving to the hospital to have my blood pressure checked. I was due on the day (Wednesday) but had no labour pains at all.
“I felt a big move. I was coming up to the roundabout and I knew I had to pull over and park.
“I needed someone to stop and help me because I thought I was going to have the baby there. I knew people would see me.”
She then purposely parked her car on the roundabout, hoping other motorists would think it had crashed.
A number of passersby stopped, including Eamonn and Mae Doyle from Kilkenny.
Mr Doyle, a retired garda, said a young man who had come upon the scene told him the woman in the car was going to have a baby.
Mrs Doyle approached the car and found the driver’s door open with Ms Adetella lying back across the passenger seat.
She told Mrs Doyle: “Get ready to catch my baby.”
The 7lb baby girl was born at 7.40pm.
The baby was wrapped in a blanket and an ambulance crew arrived and transported Ms Adetella and her baby to hospital.
Speaking on Friday, Mrs Doyle said: “It’s a peculiar situation to be in but I’m delighted that everything went well.
“She’s happy and healthy and that’s the main thing. That’s the big worry when you are waiting for an ambulance. I’m glad I was there to help.”
The baby suffered mild hypothermia, but is expected to leave the hospital on Saturday.
Ray O’Sullivan, consultant obstetrician at St Luke’s, praised Mrs Doyle, adding that the event isn’t completely out of the ordinary.
“Surveys show that about 300 women a year don’t make it into hospital, so it’s not uncommon,” he said.