Narrowly avoiding giving birth in a taxi, an Inanda mother was assisted by two IPPS Medical Rescue paramedics after her water broke near the King Shaka International Airport in KwaZulu Natal on Saturday.

The mother, who asked not to be named, was travelling in a taxi from Inanda to Mandeni, where she planned to give birth this week.

While travelling on the N2 northbound near the Tongaat Toll however, her water broke, sending the driver and other passengers into a panic.

“We got the call from the shocked driver and advised him to move off the highway to a more secluded road where we could meet them,” says Sumeshan Moodley, one of the two paramedics who responded.

The taxi pulled off onto a link road near King Shaka International Airport and waited with bated breath to see whether the ambulance would arrive in time.

“By the time we got there, she was already a long way into her contractions and was within minutes of crowning,” Moodley says.

“We were able to carefully lift her and transfer her to the ambulance with the help of everyone in the taxi.”

The paramedic says that though an ambulance is designed to be able to weather many medical emergencies, it is still far from an ideal birthing environment.

Once inside however, Moodley and paramedic partner, Shavania Moodley, were able to deliver the healthy 3.1kg baby girl – much to everyone’s relief.

“I have delivered children before, this is my third and Shavania’s sixth. But it’s normally at someone’s home when they’ve called the ambulance too late, not like this on the side of the road,” says Moodley.

The mother, her 10-year-old daughter who was also travelling with her and the newborn were all taken to Osindisweni Clinic for final check-ups.

“It was of course exciting and great to be able to help the mother, but I will also be very happy if that is the last time I deliver a child in the ambulance,” laughs Moodley.