It's safe to say that no expectant mother ever imagines giving birth in the backseat of a car. But sometimes, no matter how much we prepare and plan for something, things still manage to take us by complete surprise.

And for one Brazilian mum and doctor, this was a reality she never saw coming.

Gabriela Correia, a 33-year-old obstetrician from Brazil, was being driven to the hospital by her husband while in labour when they suddenly realised that the baby was coming much sooner than anticipated.

When they knew they would not make it to the hospital in time, they called fellow obstetrician Larissa Gomes and doula Joana Nunes for help. The two women met them at a petrol station and helped Correia deliver her son Arthur from the back seat of their car.

The picture of the happy couple in the backseat of their car. Credit 9Honey

The family was interviewed by a local news outlet in Brazil afterwards.

The mum said: ‘It was something very fast and it surprised me a lot.’ She also said that when she realised she was already nine centimetres, she felt fear. ‘Will I be able to make it on time or not?’

‘There was no time, but I had very good support,’ she said.

And while the story of Gabriela’s newborn, Arthur, is an unexpected one, it’s also not the first chaotic birth that the mum-to-be experienced.

Her first son, Dante, also came into the world unexpectedly.

Gabriela revealed that Dante was born in a bath. ‘My first birth was very beautiful,’ she shared. ‘I imagined this one would be overcome with emotion, not all this madness.’

Birth photographer Deborah Ghelman was also called to capture heart-warming photos and videos of the birth. The story was shared by the photographer on social media – which went viral soon after.

Deborah captioned her video with a very poetic statement: ‘They say that the body makes its own movement following instincts between pavements. But you have to surrender, speak your power, manifest. And when the time is right, without panic and with knowledge, the light will come.’

Gabriela’s story went viral soon after it was shared online. Credit: Pixabay in Pexels

Deborah, who is an experienced photographer, shared that this was the first time she’s witnessed and photographed an out-of-hospital birth.

‘I’m still getting over it,’ she said in an interview with local reporters. ‘It was a mixture of feelings, but I didn’t feel afraid at any moment. Everyone was in the car laughing and very happy.’

Key Takeaways

• A 33-year-old obstetrician from Brazil, Gabriela Correia, delivered her own baby in the backseat of a car.
• Gabriela emphasises the importance of having a good support network in place when giving birth, as they can help to make the experience less stressful.
• She also highlights the importance of being prepared for anything when it comes to childbirth.

Hopefully, things will go more smoothly for Gabriela and her husband when they decide to add another little one to their family again! Members - what are your thoughts on this story? Let us know in the comments!

 

[KGB71]

Our daughter was determined not to spend hours in labour ward, which happened with her first born. With her second baby she had a doula help her through labour at home. I'm an 'old' midwife and, although she was handling her pain really well, I knew she was staying home too long but daughter just wouldn’t go til she was ready. At 3.30 am she decided it was time. She was unable to lie on the back seat of the car as it was fitted with 2 baby seats so she knelt up on the front passenger seat, hugging the head rest For. 20 minute trip to hospital. Arriving at the door of the hospital hubby raced inside to get someone to help. When they came out just two minutes later & opened the car door, there was daughter sitting with a healthy baby boy on her chest! Thank goodness they were both fine. Since then we have heard of a number of babies being delivered on the side of the road or in cars but none where mum delivered her own baby with no one in attendance. Dad is Brazilian! Funny that!

 

[Thecheesequeen]

I once heard the story of a baby being delivered in the car park of a maternity hospital. Afterwards, as the mum and bub were being taken to the ward on a trolley, mum was telling the nurse how embarrassed she felt. The nurse told her not to worry, it happened from time to time, and last year there was a baby born in the lift. “I know!” said the mum. “That was me too!”

 

[terri]

My son helped his partner birth their son on their lounge room floor. Little Henry arrived in a hurry and there was just the two of them to welcome him into the world. It was a matter of having to and not something that was planned. Fortunately, all turned out well. I dont think he would like to do it again though.