Heroic paramedic delivers baby boy in shopping centre

Buy photos » Paramedic Jon Wood came to the aid of a pregnant woman while off duty in Birmingham city centre. (s)

A STUDENT paramedic from the University of Worcester helped deliver a healthy baby boy in a bustling Birmingham shopping centre after rushing to the aid of a distressed pregnant mother.

Jon Wood, 27, was off duty when he came across a woman crying out in pain outside the Bullring in central Birmingham.

He noticed she was heavily pregnant and holding her maternity notes and went across to see if she was ok but it soon became clear that she was in labour.

An ambulance had been called but was 15 minutes away and the closest response was a motorcycle paramedic.

Mr Wood, who is originally from Edinburgh, said: “The lady’s waters hadn’t broken but she said she could feel the baby was coming. I had just enough time to make her comfortable and begin my assessment, when she moved her hand away I could see the baby’s head.”

The motorcycle paramedic arrived and minutes after the pair helped the lady deliver a healthy baby boy, who she named Daniel. The mother and baby were wrapped in coats before an ambulance took the new family to hospital.

Jon added: “Thankfully, it was a normal and safe delivery with no complications and both mother and baby were fine.”

Paramedics are regularly called out to attend an emergency delivery and in training Mr Wood has already helped to deliver many babies.

“I’ve lost count of the number of babies I have delivered but this will definitely be a very memorable one,” he said.

Robert Dudley, Head of Nursing and Paramedic Science, said: “Jon is a credit to the profession and the university. His education and training equipped him with the knowledge and skills necessary to remain calm and professional in what were difficult circumstances. Jon is going to make an outstanding paramedic.”

Mr Wood has secured a job as an ambulance technician at the West Bromwich Ambulance Service.

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