United Kingdom –11-year-old Caitlin was getting ready for school when her mom suddenly went into labor. Tara Knightley began having contractions so her partner, Daniel Burke, quickly took their youngest child to his sister’s place.
But after only about 10 minutes, Tara’s water broke. The mother of five told the Birmingham Mail, “Based on previous labors, I knew that as soon as that happened, it wouldn’t be long before the baby was born.”
So Knightley told Caitlin, her eldest daughter, to call an ambulance. “They were telling her what to do over the phone.”
Bringing her baby sister into the world
Caitlin followed their instructions to help her mother through labor and was right beside her when her little sister, Elsa-Monet, was born at about 7 a.m.
It took about two hours but the brave young girl finally delivered her mom’s baby. Her mom says she got the towels, removed the cord which was wrapped around the baby, and helped stimulate the baby to cry.
Her mother also said in the interview that young Caitlin remained calm and levelheaded throughout the birth.
“When the head was showing, I thought to myself ‘I need to stop screaming because my 11-year-old daughter is seeing me,’” she told the Birmingham Mail. “I was screaming in pain but Caitlin was calm throughout.”
Read: Delayed cord clamping: Is it safe for mom and her baby?
The experience deepened their bond
It was not only a memorable moment for the mother and daughter but it also helped establish a lasting bond between Caitlin and her baby sister whom she loves and absolutely dotes on.
“I was a bit scared and shaky at first because I had never seen anything like that before in my life,” Caitlin told the Birmingham Mail. “But when my sister was born, I was really happy. I think she’s really cute and I love her very much.”
She then went to school like she would on a normal day, where her classmates and teachers were waiting and saying they were very proud of her.
The unforgettable morning also inspired a new dream for Caitilin “I want to be a midwife when I’m older,” she said.
Read: “I didn’t cut or clamp my baby’s umbilical cord” – mother’s lotus birth story
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