Like “modern-day midwives” two police officers helped a woman who went into labour on a street in Delft.
|||Cape Town - Like “modern-day midwives”, two police officers helped a woman who went into labour on a street in Delft on Wednesday.
The father of the baby ran to the Delft police station to alert authorities that 25-year-old Soraya Davids was giving birth outside on the street.
Two detective constables, Hajiera Noltona and Andy Maloy, then went with the 26-year-old man to find that Davids had already given birth, and they assisted with the after birth.
Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said the couple were on their way to the nearby day hospital when they stopped at the police station.
“Like modern-day midwives, the two detectives helped the woman with the afterbirth delivery procedures, including correct breathing and the closing of her eyes while trying to relax and holding their hands,” Van Wyk said.
Nolton even had the privilege of cutting the umbilical cord before sending the mother and baby to the Delft Day Hospital, Van Wyk said.
“After cleaning mother and infant, the detectives secured their safety and wellbeing before transporting them to the safety of the medical practitioners at the Delft Day Hospital… The mother, residing in Leiden (Delft) repeatedly thanked the police members for their professional support.”
The pair were later transferred to the Tygerberg Hospital for further treatment and were discharged on Thursday.
Delft’s station commander Brigadier Hendrik Jansen praised the officers for “going beyond the call of duty” and was impressed by the way they dealt with the incident in full view of motorists and pedestrians.
Tygerberg Hospital spokeswoman Laticia Pienaar said there were no complications and that both mother and baby were healthy.
yolisa.tswanya@inl.co.za
Cape Argus