A man who struggles with DIY managed to successfully deliver his own child

City trader Charlie Coleman stepped into action when his wife Carol went into labour with their first child named Charlotte Victoria at home.

All our own work - proud dad, Charlie, and mum, Carole Coleman, with baby daughter Charlotte Victoria, who was delivered at home Picture: ROB SAMBROOK

Mr Coleman, of Rochester Close, Braintree, said: "Carole got a few pains at 11.30pm. She'd been into hospital the day before and everything was fine.

"She didn't think much of the pains in the evening. She went downstairs to watch television then came back to bed.

"At 3.30am her waters broke. We phoned the hospital to ask what to do. They said to wait until the pain level changed. I thought I'd be sitting by her side in the delivery room."

Mrs Coleman, 28, went into the bathroom and the baby began to make her entrance into the world so the expectant mum moved to lie down on the living room sofa and her husband helped.

Mr Coleman said: "Just after 4am she could see the baby's head. I thought it was normal. She had one massive contraction and laid down.

"I helped the head out, then the shoulders."

But it did not all go to plan, when Mr Coleman, 34, noticed the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck.

Mr Coleman said: "I unravelled it and laid the baby on her chest, then we saw that she was breathing and making sounds."

Mr Coleman said: "She's keeping us both up at the moment but we don't care."

Mrs Coleman said: "Charlie can't even put up shelves, so how he did this, I don't know?

Published Friday, May 30, 2003

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