Norfolk mum gives birth in back of ambulance on A47 - twice

Kat and Peter Maddox had a nother surprise on the A47 this week when their son Edward was born in the ambulance on the A47 en-route to the hospital only a couple of miles away from where his brother Reuben was born in the same circumstances two years ago. (Image: Archant Norfolk Photographic © 2015)

Both Katrina Maddox's sons arrived too quickly for her to get to hospital and had to be born while 'in transit'.

The 23-year-old's labour with her first son, Reuben, was three hours long and the tot, who is now two, ended up being delivered by his dad in the back of the ambulance while they were passing through North Tuddenham.

Mrs Maddox's second labour took just one hour and 12 minutes, with baby Edward arriving in the early hours of last Thursday while the ambulance zoomed past Longwater Retail Park at Costessey. The newborn weighed in at 9lb 7oz, exactly 2lb more than his big brother was at birth. Mrs Maddox, who lives in North Pickenham, near Swaffham, and is training to be an accountant, said: 'I can't believe it happened twice.

'I can't imagine there are many people who do it with both their children.

'I really didn't want it to happen again and I was so adamant I was not going to have Edward in an ambulance, but then it did get to that point when I realised I was not going to make it to the hospital again.

'At least this time Peter was able to be by my side rather than delivering his son.'

Mrs Maddox, whose husband Peter, 30, is a self-employed forester originally from Shipdham, said: 'I didn't even know I was in labour with my first son until I was pushing.

'Peter was an absolute saint and so calm. He was the best midwife. Both times everything happened so quickly I didn't have time to panic.' This time the couple were at home in bed when Mrs Maddox realised she was in labour at around 3am.

The couple knew they would not have time to wait for Mr Maddox's parents to arrive, but luckily a neighbour was in and waited at the family's home in White Oaks, while Reuben slept upstairs, blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding.

Mrs Maddox said she had considered that it might have been easier to have a midwife come to her, but was told home births were not available in her area.

She said she opted to go to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital instead of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn as she knows Norwich and the hospital far better.

At least the couple joke that they will be old hands when it comes to registering an 'in transit' birth.

Mrs Maddox, who grew up in Saham Toney, said: 'For Reuben they had to put his place of birth as being in transit on the way to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, at North Tuddenham, so I imagine for Edward it will be similar.'

Do you have an unusual birth story to tell? Email kim.briscoe@archant.co.uk