'Talk about DIY': Mother gives birth in local B&Q car park during hospital dash
“I’m not doing this here. I’m not doing this in the car.”
Those were the thoughts of a woman from Cannock right before she gave birth in the car park of her local B&Q, after feeling the need to push en-route to the hospital.
Laura Moore, 26, was told by her midwife that her blood pressure was too high for a home birth, and that she would need to go to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.
After arranging childcare for their son, Laura and her partner, Daniel Coppinger, set out towards New Cross, not knowing that their daughter would arrive before they got there.
“I got into the car and something changed,” Laura said, “within 10 minutes I felt the need to push! My partner didn’t think I was being serious.
“I thought ‘I’m not doing this here. I’m not doing this in the car.’”
She added: “I called triage to tell them what was happening as they were expecting our arrival. They told us we needed to pull over and call an ambulance.
“As soon as they answered the phone immediately he said ‘Ambulance! Ambulance! She’s about to give birth'.”
At 7am on the morning of October 21, Daniel pulled into the B&Q car park.
“It felt different. I had an epidural with my son, William, so I hadn’t experienced this pain at all,” Laura said.
“By this point, my body had taken over with wanting to push. It’s amazing really.”
Daniel, 26, managed to get towels and blankets out of their hospital bags, ready to deliver their baby. But just as their daughter’s head started to emerge, two ambulances and the community midwives arrived, and delivered Millie-Rose Coppinger at 7.16am.
“I had no pain relief so I’m very proud of myself,” Laura said. “I was just laughing and giggling straight away.
“I couldn’t believe I’d done it. We’re all okay now, and she’s fitted straight in with the family.” They were taken to New Cross on blue lights, with Laura praising the staff at the hospital who took care of her and Millie-Rose.
Laura said: “Our families couldn’t believe it when we told them. We joke that whenever we pass B&Q we will always remember our daughter being born there. Talk about DIY!”
As Laura is a studio assistant in a design agency, and Daniel is a senior graphic designer, Millie-Rose is sure to have the perfect nursery.
