'I gave birth on the side of the road ... my husband was more concerned about the car than me'

"I'd realised a couple of minutes into the journey that there was a high chance I'd have the baby in the car because the contractions were happening so quickly."

Ben Rudd and Beth Kilgallon

3 min read

November 16, 2023 - 11:06AM

Family Life

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A young mum has taken ‘baby on board’ literally, giving birth on the side of the road while she was rushing to hospital in central Wales.

Gabrielle Prince, 29, had to yell for her partner to stop the car as the baby's head was crowning and gave birth on the front seat of the family's Skoda.

With the Skoda stopped in the middle of the road, the mum-of-three pushed once more, grabbed her baby girl and pulled her out herself while her partner, Nathan Hill, 32, watched on in shock.

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Gabrielle joked that Nathan was more concerned about the mess that had been made of his Skoda.

"I quickly realised my body was pushing and there was nothing I could do to stop her coming,” the woman from Llanfair Caereinion said.

"I shouted for Nathan to stop the car immediately, and he came rushing round. I needed him to help me pull my underwear down and he saw the head crowning. On the next push, I reached down, grabbed her and pulled her out.

"It was such a quick process and the best experience ever."

Baby Isabella just after being born. Picture: @farmergabs / CATERS NEWS

Couple's eventful trip to the hospital

Gabrielle was experiencing labour pains for almost two days before she gave birth to her new baby girl, Isabella, weighing 8lbs 14oz, last month.

She was still working on her farm up until the day before she gave birth, and only discovered her waters were broken after rolling over in bed.

She immediately reached for her phone and called her midwife who was going to meet her at the delivery department of the hospital.

Gabrielle then rang her mum and anxiously waited for her to arrive to look after her two elder children, Tabitha, five, and Theodore, 18 months.

She and her partner then rushed out the door and made their way to the hospital.

Gabrielle with her newborn daughter Isabelle. Picture: @farmergabs / CATERS NEWS -

"There is a head"

A couple of minutes into the journey, as Nathan drove the Skoda along the bumpy roads, Gabrielle's body naturally started pushing and she soon realised that she might not make it to the hospital before giving birth.

She breathed deeply through her contraction and then abruptly yelled for Nathan to stop the car as she could feel the head coming.

He hit the brakes, got out the car, and went round to open the door for Gabrielle as he thought she was going to be sick, but she needed his help to get her underwear out the way.

He called out, 'There is a head!'.

On the next push, Gabrielle pulled out the baby, wrapped her up in her black dress, and cleaned her nose and mouth so her daughter could breathe.

She cradled the newborn on her chest after all the excitement of the birth, and Nathan continued the drive to the hospital.

Their midwife came out to meet them with a wheelchair for Gabrielle, and they cut the umbilical cord in the car.

Baby Isabelle at the family's farm in central Wales. Picture: @farmergabs / CATERS NEWS -

"It was the best experience ever"

Mum and bub were checked over and back home within 90 minutes, and Gabrielle was back feeding her cattle the next day.

"It was the best experience ever,” Gabrielle said.

"I was feeling mentally drained from the labour pains from the previous day, but the birth itself was a pleasure.

"I delivered my baby and it all went smoothly. It all happened so quickly, I didn't even have the time to feel nervous or scared.

"I think Nathan was slightly traumatised by the whole thing and in total shock. However, he was also so happy and cried afterwards.

"He works as a car valet so I think he was really concerned about the mess we'd made of the car too.

"I'd realised a couple of minutes into the journey that there was a high chance I'd have the baby in the car because the contractions were happening so quickly.

"The whole experience made me want to get a degree in midwifery when the kids are a little bit older. It was such a positive experience and it really sparked something in me.

"Isabella and I are doing absolutely fine, and we are adjusting to life with a newborn again.

"Life as a family of five is busy but Isabella fits in very well and we wouldn't change it for the world. Theo adores her and is so smitten with his new little sister."