Emergency Childbirth
Assisting an unplanned delivery before hospital arrival
Step by Step
Call emergency services and stay on the line; the call handler will guide you. Keep the mother calm and warm and prepare clean towels. Do not try to delay the birth or pull on the baby. Support the baby's head and body as they are born. Dry the baby, place them skin to skin on the mother's chest, and cover both to keep warm. If the baby is not breathing, the call handler will talk you through what to do. There is no need to cut the umbilical cord; leave this to the paramedics or midwife. Do not pull on the cord to deliver the placenta. Mother and baby both need medical assessment after an unplanned birth.
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