Former Ambulance Technician Dad Steps In to Deliver Baby After Midwife Flees Room
In a dramatic and high-risk birth at the John Radcliffe Hospital Women's Centre, a father was forced to deliver his own baby after a midwife left the room in a state of panic. The incident occurred on February 21, when Cleo Gray was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, requiring immediate intervention from her dad, Matt, a former ambulance technician.
Panic and Abandonment During Critical Labour
Jo, Matt's wife, had gone into labour two weeks early and was admitted to the hospital. Initially, she was attended by a midwife who provided excellent care, even dancing to keep Jo relaxed. However, when that midwife was called away, a replacement took over, and the situation quickly deteriorated.
Jo described the new midwife as less experienced, lacking communication skills, and failing to offer reassurance. As labour intensified, the midwife began to panic, which in turn caused Jo to experience a panic attack, especially given her history of a traumatic previous birth where she nearly lost her son.
"Within minutes I went into full blown delivery," Jo recalled. "But she started panicking, which in turn, made me panic." The midwife reported concerns about the baby's heart rate dropping, but then abruptly left the room, leaving the couple alone.
Dad's Quick Thinking Saves Newborn
Matt ran out to fetch the midwife, who returned briefly only to leave again shortly after. The couple claim she was absent for 10 to 15 minutes during the critical phase. Realising they were on their own, Matt took action.
"After she ran out a second time, I realised we were going to have to deliver the baby ourselves. I put some gloves on and minutes later, baby was born," Matt said. Upon delivery, he discovered the umbilical cord wrapped around Cleo's neck and successfully unwrapped it, though he was unable to clear the mucus. He then cleaned and dried the newborn before handing her to Jo.
Staff returned to the room about two minutes later, finding Jo cradling their daughter. They remarked that it was good Matt had worn gloves, but offered no immediate apology, instead stating the incident was "very unfortunate but everything was OK."
High-Risk Factors and Aftermath
This was Jo and Matt's fourth child, and the labour was expected to progress quickly. However, it was deemed high-risk due to Jo's multiple medical conditions. The couple also reported that they could not reach the call button behind Jo's bed to summon help, exacerbating the crisis.
Jo expressed her fury and fear, telling the Banbury Guardian: "It is terrifying. It could have gone so wrong." The couple have since filed formal complaints with the Oxford University Hospitals Trust (OUH), which runs the hospital, and the Care Quality Commission.
Hospital Response and Broader Context
An OUH spokesman apologised to the family and stated: "We are taking the issues they raise very seriously and will be carrying out a full investigation into what happened. We are unable to provide further detail while that investigation is underway but are committed to openness and transparency when sharing our full findings."
This incident occurs against a backdrop of ongoing scrutiny in NHS maternity care. The OUH maternity unit is one of 12 being investigated in the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. An interim report has highlighted deep-rooted issues, noting that the system "is not working for women, babies and families, or for staff."
The family's experience underscores the critical need for consistent, competent care during childbirth, especially in high-risk situations where every second counts.
