Labour & Delivery

Sydney Mum Delivers Baby on Her Own While Driving to Hospital

47 minutes. That’s how long it took for Gemma Blake to go into labour and deliver her baby. Herself. In a car. 

Yep, that’s right! The Sydney mum welcomed her fourth baby at 4.20 am on Monday, 8 February 2021 in a very speedy delivery on the road.

gemma blake birth story
Alfie surprised everyone with his speedy delivery. Source: Pregnancy Mums Australia

In transit delivery

She only started to feel the mild pangs of labour at 3.33am. That’s 47 minutes before bub arrived. 47 minutes, ladies. I swear it takes my partner longer than that to poo. Especially if I’ve asked him to do something. 

As Gemma tells Mum Central, 

I woke up to go to the toilet at 3.33am and got back in bed five minutes later needing to go to the toilet again.

I got up and started getting pains but nothing I couldn’t handle.”

Gemma, who was six days overdue, called her best friend who lives a few blocks away and her mother-in-law. When they arrived Gemma was hutched over in the front yard in the middle of a contraction.

Gemma Blake quick car birth
Gemma was six days overdue when started feeling slight labour pangs. Source: Pregnancy Mums Australia

Gemma’s mother-in-law headed into the house to watch Gemma’s other three kids while Gemma and her best friend hopped into the car. 

Five minutes down the road my water broke. I started feeling like I needed to push. I tried to hold off pushing but as we got another five minutes down the road, I could feel his head ready to come.”

So I just went with it and gave a push, out came his head. I looked down and saw him looking at me. I gave another push and out he came. Then I reefed him up into my arms and couldn’t believe my eyes that he was here!”

Surprise! I had a baby

While Gemma held her new baby, a boy she named Alfie, her best friend continued the drive to the hospital. As soon as they arrived, Gemma’s bestie ran into the hospital and got a wheelchair and nurses, who were in for a big surprise when they arrived at the car. 

gemma blake
Alfie Sayers is Gemma’s fourth baby. Source: Supplied

Alfie was weighed and measured – 4.39 kg and 53 cm long – and they were discharged at lunchtime that same day. 

While Gemma had a feeling she would have a quick birth – her other births were all under three hours (baby #2 came in 48 minutes!), however she never expected to not make it to the hospital! 

Now Gemma and Alfie are back at home enjoying the newborn baby bubble.  

He feeds every four hours, he’s such a dream to have and has blended in so well to our family.” 

A massive congratulations to Gemma and what a great story for Alfie’s 21st! Gemma shared her birth announcement in our Pregnancy Mums Australia group and we were blown away by the story. This has got to be one of the quickest deliveries we’ve ever heard of! How about you? 

What to read next

This isn’t the first time a mum has delivered her baby in the car. Check out these other super speedy deliveries! 

Avatar of Jenna Galley

Born and raised in Canada, Jenna now lives in Far North Queensland with her tribe. When the mum-of-three is not writing, you can find her floating in the pool, watching princess movies, frolicking on the beach, bouncing her baby to sleep or nagging her older kids to put on their pants.

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