Dad delivers for Daniella and Sadie

Mum Sadie Russell (22) gave birth hours sooner than expected, and too late to get to hospital, after going into labour late on Saturday evening.

Her mechanic boyfriend Dan Wilkinson was thrown into the driving seat—faced with the daunting task of safely delivering Daniella at the couple’s East Herringthorpe home.

“I stayed calm,” said the 23-year-old. “I’m not really a panicky person.

“I didn’t know anything about what to do, but I knew I wasn’t going to get any extra help and it all happened so quickly.

“The towels I used were the ones hanging on the rack already, I just grabbed what I could.”

Baby Daniella was born at 2.22am on the date 10/10/10—weighing 6lbs 12ozs.

And Dan’s careful efforts ensured mum and baby were both fine after the birth, needing no medical treatment.

He said: “I’d had no classes or experience of what to do, and the ironic thing is that my mechanic company is called First Aid Autos.

“It went really well, and they didn’t even need to go to hospital after. All the checks have gone all right too.”

Sadie first rang the maternity department after her waters broke at about 11pm.

The staff said she was coping well with the contractions, but not to worry about heading to hospital for a good few hours yet.

Dan, of Revell Close, said: “Sadie rang the hospital when the contractions were for 40 seconds every four minutes. “They said she was doing okay and should stay home for a bit longer. It only seemed like ten minutes later when she shouted me.

“I knew it was too late to get an ambulance here, so I rang 999 and they talked me through what to do.”

Dan and Sadie, who also have an elder daughter Elysia (3), said being a 10/10/10 baby made the drama around Daniella’s birth even more special.

Sadie, a human biology graduate from Sheffield Hallam University, said: “I remember shouting out to Dan that the baby was coming.

“When I rang the hospital they said I was coping well and just to do the usual stuff, have a hot bath and take some paracetamol.

“He did really well. I was scared, because no-one else was there who knew what they were doing. Even though I’ve given birth before, I still wouldn’t have any idea what to do to deliver a baby.”

Sadie’s proud dad Martin Russell said: “They rang us straight away after it all happened. Dan’s only 23 and he did a really great job delivering Daniella.”