A dad has spoken of his shock after he had to deliver his baby girl at home his wife suddenly went into labour - on Mother's Day.
Josh Bratley, 31, said it was seven minutes of 'utter chaos' when his wife Emily, 29, realised she was about to give birth and the midwife was still 30 minutes away.
The dad-of-two successfully delivered little Evelyn just after midnight on Mother's Day in a moment he says he will 'remember forever'.
The healthy baby weighed 8lb 11oz and went through a full pregnancy, as she was due just a day later.
The couple had decided to have a water birth at home as Emily felt it was safer due to Covid, but despite meticulous planning nothing could have prepared them for what happened.
At around 11pm on Sunday (March 14) Emily told Josh she was starting to experience contractions - which were less than a minute long and spread 10 minutes apart.
Josh began to calmly set up the pool and put on soothing music believing he had plenty of time as the midwife was around an hour away.
He called his mum Melanie Bratley, 55, a former nurse, who quickly made her way to their home in Grimsby, Lincs.
But at 12.20am - 20 minutes into Mother's Day - he quickly realised that they couldn't wait any longer and he would have to deliver his baby himself.
The dad-of-two said being around the two most important women in his life kept him calm, while the adrenaline kept him going.
But added that Emily did 99 percent of the work while he just 'held my hands out'.
Josh, from Grimsby, Lincs., said: "It was a completely surreal experience. We went from it's not happening yet to oh my God it's happening in the space of minutes.
"Luckily after I managed to get Emily into the kitchen, my mum showed up, and honestly I couldn't have had two better women with me.
"It honestly was just utter chaos. They were the most eventful seven minutes of our lives.
"The adrenaline kept me going. But Emily really did 99 percent of the work, I just held my hands out.
"I was the first person to hold her and I put her into Emily's arms, it was a beautiful and intimate moment. Just mum, dad and baby."
He added: "It was a beautiful experience for us as a family. Not many can tell a story like that."
Josh said that the midwives had joked the week before that he might have to deliver the baby himself, and told them there was 'not a chance'.
But the refinery operator said despite his successful delivery he is not considering a career change as this was a 'once in a lifetime experience' in the most literal sense.
He said: "If you told me a week ago I would have to do this I'd have told you you were crazy.
"I feel like you can sometimes do things and are capable of doing things you never expected. But this was definitely a one off.
"It was scary, and I was just concerned about my baby's health. When she got out she was wiggling and breathing which made me so happy."
The couple, who have been together since 2008 and married since 2015, said that welcoming little Evelyn on Mother's Day made the day even more special.
Emily said it was a 'traumatic but beautiful' experience to share with family.
The school counsellor said: "We prepared for the water birth but nothing could have prepared us for this.
"The fact she was born on Mother's Day just makes it so special for us.
"When I woke up that morning everyone was wishing me happy mother's day and I don't think I'll ever beat this mother's day.
"It's been crazy and traumatic but beautiful, and I could never ask for anything more."
The couple said they are looking forward to telling little Evelyn and her brother Charlie, three, this brilliant story for years to come.
