“I just remember going to my mum, ‘the baby can’t come now we haven’t got anything ready'”
(Image: Lauren Ewings / SWNS)
A pregnant mum visited her local Tesco store and came out with a whole lot more.
Lauren Ewings had gone to the Devon supermarket to pick up some cat food and pain relief, but ended up giving birth to her third child, baby boy Edward.
Lauren, who was 36 weeks and five days pregnant at the time, said she woke up on Monday morning (January 22) with some initial pain – but had assumed it was Braxton Hicks, sometimes known as false labour pains.
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The mother-of-three from Tiverton, Devon, had taken her eldest son to school that morning, and popped into her local Tesco in Tiverton, for some pain relief and pet food.
But as the 27-year-old walked through the doors her waters broke, and she rushed to the store’s disabled toilets.
Lauren Ewing’s mother-in-law Penelope with baby Edward(Image: Lauren Ewings / SWNS)
She said: “As I was walking in the door my waters went. So I took myself to the disabled toilet to clean myself up and to get hold of partner to come get me.
“As I got to the toilet the pressure below increased quite quickly, I ended up calling my mum who was with my aunt – they called an ambulance on their end and the Tescos number to try and get a first aider to come help.
“I just remember going to my mum, ‘the baby can’t come now we haven’t got anything ready'”.
Baby Edward and Lauren’s other boys in hospital(Image: Lauren Ewings / SWNS)
Within five to ten minutes of that call, Lauren said Lisa Haymes, the first-aider from Tesco, knocked on the door – and within five minutes of her being in the room, her baby began crowning.
Lauren added: “I ended up delivering him myself before handing him over to Lisa, then a few minutes later the placenta was delivered. Around 15/20 minutes later the paramedics arrived.”
Lauren and her family were in hospital from Monday to Wednesday, as Edward the newborn was a bit jaundiced, so had to go under a blue light and he had a slight heart murmur that they wanted to keep an eye on.
Lauren said Tesco and all the staff were “fantastic” during the whole affair.
Baby Edward was born in Tesco in Tiverton(Image: Lauren Ewings / SWNS)
She added: “I’m feeling really good considering my two previous children were born via c-section – so the recovery has been less painful.”
Ms Haymes, who has worked for Tesco for 30 years, said: “While I am first-aid trained, you’re never taught how to deliver a baby.
“I hope when Eddie grows he’ll hold a special place in his heart for our store in Tiverton.”
