Man delivered his own baby daughter on Father's Day

Baby Maisie was born at 5.14am on Sunday in the bedroom of the family home on Thirlmere Avenue, Standish.

Warren and fiancee Danielle Jeffrey had arrived home from the hospital just 20 minutes earlier after being told the birth was not imminent.

But the labour quickly progressed and Warren had to deliver his new daughter himself, with support by telephone from North West Ambulance Service.

Warren, who works as an electrician, said: “Adrenaline just kicked in and I didn’t think about it. It’s only afterwards when you have a minute to yourself and think about what happened. You are walking around in a daze.

“It’s a fantastic experience. It’s one I wouldn’t like to repeat because it was terrifying, but it was a brilliant experience. It couldn’t have been better.”

Maisie was due to be born last Tuesday, but Danielle, 28, started having contractions at around 7pm on Saturday.

She sent Warren to bed for an early night, along with her six-year-old son Charlie, and she got in the bath.

The contractions became more regular so at 2.30am she phoned the hospital and was told to go there.

Danielle said: “It kept progressing and I went to hospital. They said I wasn’t in labour yet, so go home, have a bath and come back in a couple of days.

“I kept saying to Warren that I was sure I was further along.”

They arrived back at home at 4.55am and Danielle got in the bath.

But it was not long before she told Warren to phone the midwife, and then the ambulance service, because the baby was on the way.

Warren, 46, said: “I phoned 999 and the guy said I had to prepare for her giving birth. I was thinking, I’m just an electrician.

“I let the plug out of the bath and got her in the bedroom on the bed.”

Warren put the ambulance service worker on speakerphone and followed his instructions.

And after just a few more contractions, baby Maisie was born, weighing 7lbs 15oz.

She was not breathing at first, but Danielle put the baby on her chest and rubbed her back, which led to her coughing and then crying.

Warren said: “When she wasn’t breathing, it was the most worrying part. For someone who’s trained it’s probably natural, but it wasn’t for me.”

The paramedics arrived shortly afterwards, followed by midwives.

Both mother and baby were checked over and the umbilical cord was cut. They did not need to go to hospital and Maisie has been able to settle into her home.

Danielle, a teacher, said: “Warren was absolutely brilliant. He delivered his daughter on Father’s Day.”

Warren, who also has a 24-year-old son named Ben, said: “It’s something that will never ever leave me. It’s given me that little special bond with her now.

“Not every man can deliver his own child.”

However, delivering babies runs in Warren’s family - his dad, a member of St John Ambulance, helped a midwife to deliver Warren’s sister at home.

Warren praised Danielle and the health workers who looked after her and their daughter.

He added: “I can’t praise the guy on the other end of the 999 call enough.

“I would love to shake his hand and say thanks.”

A North West Ambulance Service spokesman said: “All our emergency medical dispatchers are fully trained to give life-saving advice over the phone; however it’s always lovely to find out about the happier occasions when they have used their skills to help guide a parent through labour and welcome a new-born baby into the world.

“We would like to congratulate Warren and Danielle and hope that little Maisie is doing well.”