Meet Mateus, the New Year baby born in a Midland lay-by

Jan 4 2008 By Will Oliphant, Birmingham Mail

MEET baby Mateus who simply couldn't wait to come into the world and ended up being born in a roadside layby.

He is blissfully unaware of the drama he caused when he was born in an ambulance at the side of a Midland road on New Year's Eve.

Paramedics and a midwife in Worcestershire had to do an emergency delivery after the tot made his appearance on the way to hospital.

And his birth left his mum, Michelle Booth, in seventh heaven, for Mateus is her seventh son!

His dad, Ian Rock, aged 29, of Deacle Place, Evesham, said he didn't mind the fuss and was just happy to have his little boy in the world.

"I guess Mateus just decided that he wanted to have a glimpse of 2007 before the new year came in," he said.

"This is going to be a story that we remember every New Year's Eve and I'm sure it will be one that Mateus will want to hear when he grows up."

Mateus's mother Michelle Booth, aged 33, had been due to give birth on December 28 so it was no surprise when she started getting labour pains at about 5pm on New Year's Eve.

Ian said: "At about 8pm she asked me to call for an ambulance and when they got here they thought she was going to have the baby there and then."

Paramedics started preparing for a home birth but baby Mateus decided he wasn't quite ready to make his entrance and Michelle stopped having contractions.

"The midwife told us that we had still better go to hospital just to make sure there were no complications," said Ian.

"But then as we were driving to Worcester the midwife checked Michelle again and said it was coming now whether we were ready or not."

Paramedics quickly pulled the ambulance over to a layby on the A44 between Evesham and Worcester and Michelle gave birth at 9.41pm.

"It was pretty nerve-racking," said Ian. "But the midwife and the paramedics were so professional, everything went without a hitch."

But both mother and baby are doing well and were discharged from Worcester Royal Hospital on New Year's Day.

Mateus's brothers Ashleigh, aged 14, Aidan, aged 13, Nathan, aged 10, Gary, aged eight, Vinnie, aged seven and Alfie, who is one, are now getting to know the new addition to their family.

Ian added: "We've had alot of interest in the baby.

"There's been loads of visitors and they're all saying how good looking he is. He must take after his dad."

Ambulance technician Sarah Baulch, who helped with the delivery, said: "It was really lovely, it all went very well and it nearly had me in tears.

"It's always nice dealing with a successful birth."