Woman gives birth on pavement ‘after being refused ambulance
Hat Tip: Astute Bloggers
A young mother gave birth on a pavement outside a hospital after she was told to make her own way there.
Mother-of-three Carmen Blake called her midwife to ask for an ambulance when she went into labour unexpectedly with her fourth child.
But the 27-year-old claims she was refused an ambulance and told to walk the 100m from her house in Leicester to the city’s nearby Royal Infirmary.
Helping hands: Carmen Blake with Mariah, who is also pictured with physiotherapist Helen Ivers, who was passing by and delivered the baby
Her daughter Mariah was delivered on a pavement outside the hospital by a passer-by, just before ambulance crews arrived.
Today the Trust that runs the hospital said it would look into any complaint made about the advice and care the 27-year-old received.
Ms Blake said she started going into labour at about 7.15am on Sunday, August 2.
She said: “I phoned up the Royal Infirmary, it’s just across the road, and they said to go into a hot bath, and then to make my way over there.
Shock: Carmen Blake, with new baby Mariah and her older children Hennessy, six, (left) and Malachi, four, (right)
“I went into the bath and realised she was going to come quickly. I didn’t think I’d be able to make it out of the bath, so I phoned the maternity ward back and told them to get an ambulance out.
‘They said they were not sending an ambulance and told me I had had nine months to sort out a lift.’
