South Aussie mum-of-two Mary Knight’s recounts her birth story to her second son Elias Waugh

The Nuriootpa mum-of-two welcomed her second son Elias Waugh after a calm morning … while she was on the toilet.

Mum-of-two Mary Knight gave birth to her second child on her bathroom floor on all fours only an hour after waking up.

It was November 26 – a day Mary will never forget – her second child was a week overdue and she woke up at a quarter to eight.

“I had a little bit of a snack and then I started to feel a bit funny so I went to the toilet,” the now-41-year-old said.

The Nuriootpa woman, who called the Jodie and Hayesy Nova 91.9 radio show to tell her birth story, started having what she thought could be contractions.

“I had no idea how close I was to giving birth so I sat there for a couple more minutes and then all of a sudden I had this really strong contraction and let out a bit of a scream and my water broke,” she told The Advertiser.

Mary Knight’s son’s Elias (left) and Ethan (right). Picture: Supplied

Mary Knight gave birth to her second son Elias on the bathroom floor. Picture: Supplied

Her scream woke her four-year-old son Ethan Waugh who asked if she was okay before he went to get his aunty — Mary’s sister-in-law — Rowena Ashby, who lived with the family.

“She came in and saw me sitting on the toilet … took one look at me and she was like, you’re about to have this baby, I can see the head crowning,” Mary said.

Ms Ashby quickly rang the ambulance, who talked her through what to do.

“They had to convince me to get off the toilet because I was in so much pain and that was the only place I felt comfortable … so I managed to get off the toilet and onto all fours,” Mary, who is a TAFE lecturer, said.

“They were trying to get me to not push until the ambulance got there but my body took over and I had no control.

“My sister-in-law put her hand there to try and stop the baby’s head from coming out but by the time the ambulance got there … the head was out.

“They got there in time to basically catch him and he was there.”

Mary’s sister-in-law called the ambulance as Elias was crowning. Picture: Supplied

Elias was born at 8.42am. Picture: Supplied

Elias Waugh was born at 8.42am on November 26, 2010, weighing just over eight pounds.

“I held him for the first time sitting on that bathroom floor,” Mary said.

“He pooed on me and weed on me straight away.”

Amid all the chaos, luckily Mary was able to call her husband-at-the-time and he managed to get there just as his son was arriving.

Mary said ambulance officers cut the cord, cleaned Elias up and checked his health.

“They wanted me to wait getting the placenta out until the hospital,” she said.

“I was like ‘what do I do what this cord?’ It was still hanging out … I was trying to walk with this sort of thing hanging out … the dog was licking my feet … I was trying to make sure my umbilical cord didn’t fall out, it was really surreal.”

Elias is now 14 years old and has kept Mary “on her toes”. Picture: Supplied

Mary arrived at the hospital shortly after her birth, passed the placenta and by 9.30am was told she could go home.

She stayed at the hospital for a two hours longer for observation after fainting in the shower but eventually went home the same day as her birth.

Mary said Elias was a “gorgeous little thing” that “jumped into (her) life so quickly”.

“He’s kept me on my toes ever since,” she said.

Originally published as South Aussie mum-of-two Mary Knight’s recounts her birth story to her second son Elias Waugh