Baby joy for Nathan Stapleton after football injury left him a quadriplegic

Former NRL star Nathan Stapleton got to whisper words of encouragement to wife Kate and enjoy a skin to skin cuddle with his second-born child after a mission by two Sydney hospitals to get the now-quadraplegic rugby player into the birthing suite.

Kate Stapleton (2nd from right) with husband Nathan and son Harry at Prince of Wales hospital Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Former NRL star Nathan Stapleton and wife Kate have welcomed a new baby boy into the family.

Mr Stapleton, who is still in the intensive care unit of the Prince of Wales Hospital three months after a tackle in a country rugby game went horribly wrong leaving the 32-year-old a quadriplegic, was by his wife’s side during the birth of their baby at the Royal ­Hospital for Women on Friday, July 1.

The Prince of Wales Hospital organised a mobile intensive care unit so they could wheel him and the machines keeping him breathing over to the Royal Hospital for Women next door for the birth.

“We had him on Friday and all went really well,” Mrs Stapleton said. “Nate got to be at the birth which was wonderful.”

Mr Stapleton spoke to The Saturday Telegraph in the lead-up to the birth and said: “Never in a million years did I think I would be going to my wife’s birth as a quadriplegic, but I am excited and grateful.”

Kate Stapleton (2nd from right) with husband Nathan and son Harry at Prince of Wales hospital, where they have welcomed their second child. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

The collaboration between the two hospitals ran smoothly, according to Prince of Wales intensive care nurse manager Megan Pinfold who oversaw the operation.

“We were thrilled all the plans we made went to plan. Because it was Kate’s second child, the labour was quite quick and he was only out of ICU for a couple of hours.

“We lowered the cuff on his tracheotomy (which is how the ventilator is connected for him to breathe) so he could talk words of encouragement to Kate,” she said. “Once he came out, they could put him on Nathan’s chest for the skin-to-skin contact which was great.”

The former Cronulla Sharks star fell awkwardly after a tackle during a rugby game in West Wyalong on April 9, breaking his neck and sending his heart into cardiac arrest.

Louise McCabe, an off-duty nurse from West Wyalong, performed CPR for 16 minutes, saving his life.

To help with Nathan Stapleton’s recovery please visit their GoFundMe