A father has delivered his own daughter at home for a second time in four years after his partner was in labour for just 21 minutes.
John Anderson, 39, unexpectedly acted as midwife for the second time when his partner Adele Crisp, 34, woke up with severe cramps on August 14. Adele was 36 weeks and two days pregnant with her second child and had been told to go to her maternity unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
But it was too late for that, as Adele was already in active labour. John helped Adele to the living room and, following a 21-minute labour, delivered their daughter, Saige-Elizabeth, at 3.55am.
Déjà vu for the couple
Adele said it felt like "déjà vu" because, four years earlier, John delivered their first daughter, Georgia, in the same house after she arrived nearly six weeks early in March 2022. On both occasions, John had to help with the births as the babies arrived unexpectedly quickly, just minutes before paramedics arrived for both children.
Saige-Elizabeth spent a week in hospital being treated for jaundice but is now home with her big sister. Adele, a full-time mum from Walker, Newcastle, said: "It's crazy this happened not only once, but twice.
"They both arrived really quickly, at the same house, and John had to catch both of the babies. It felt like déjà vu. You couldn't make it up."
First surprise birth in 2022
Adele found out she was pregnant with their first daughter when she was 28 weeks pregnant in January 2022. Six weeks later, when Adele was 34 weeks and two days along, her waters broke on March 4, 2022.
She was advised to monitor the contractions but noticed them speeding up more quickly than anticipated, going into active labour in the bathroom. John, who was working in a call centre at the time, called an ambulance and was talked through the delivery on the phone.
Adele said: "Within two hours and 11 minutes of my water's breaking, she had arrived.
"I was told not to push yet but my body needed to – it knew what to do. The paramedic heard as I told dad to catch her as she came out."
Georgia, who weighed 5lb 12.5oz, spent 12 days in hospital on a feeding tube and with assistance for her breathing after arriving prematurely.
Second arrival in August
Four years later, the couple were delighted to find out they were expecting their second child in January 2026. Adele experienced gestational diabetes during the pregnancy and was closely monitored with scans. She was due to be induced on 19 August, but just days earlier, on 14 August, her waters broke.
She said: "I was told to get taxi to hospital rather than call an ambulance.
"But my partner knew it was similar to last time and the baby was coming, so he called an ambulance. He could already see her head and knew she was coming."
Just 21 minutes later, their daughter Saige-Elizabeth, who weighed 6lb 4.5oz, was caught by dad and taken by ambulance to RVI hospital. She spent one night in the NICU being treated for jaundice and slightly rapid breathing, and then six more days on a ward, before settling back at home.
Adele said: "My partner's auntie, Julie, was supposed to be my birthing partner, but by the time she got her coat on and arrived, Saige was here.
"She's doing well and it's nice to all be home again."
