Dad on hand for special delivery

Father Mr Billy McBlane had to turn midwife when his daughter was born in the bath in the early hours.

Baby Esme was born so quickly she was already 20 minutes old by the time an ambulance arrived. She weighed 7lb 14oz.

Mr McBlane, 25, of Youngs Avenue, Fernwood, delivered his daughter himself when his partner, Samantha Crowder, 27, went into labour on Saturday night.

The couple called an ambulance at 4am but Esme was born at 4.06am, with Mr McBlane taking instructions over the telephone.

Samantha said: “He was amazing considering it was his first. He was so calm.

“He just got on with it and listened to the lady on the phone.

“Esme was 20 minutes old by the time the paramedics arrived.”

Mr McBlane said: “My brain just kicked in and I did not really think about it.

“If I had known in advance I was going to have to do this I would have been scared but I didn’t have time to think about it.

“It was amazing. It was one of those things that isn’t going to happen again. It was very emotional.”

Samantha has two other children from a previous relationship, Owen, 6, and Darcie, 4.

Darcie was also born at home, but she said Esme arrived with far less warning.

“I woke up and I had a few pains but I did not think it was labour,” she said.

“I had a bath and shouted Billy up.

“He rang the ambulance, but there was no way I could move and she was born a few minutes later.”

Mr McBlane said: “I was expecting the lady on the phone just to say the ambulance was on the way but then she started asking me if Samantha was pushing, and then the head started to come out and I realised it was actually happening.

“I will never forget it.”