EXCLUSIVE

by Joe Walker

joewalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

A mum was given the fright of her life after delivering her own baby on the back seat of her husband's car - for a SECOND time.

Frantic Faye Lygo was racing to hospital with husband Carl when baby Rex popped out in the back of their Land Rover.

The 9lbs 7oz whopper took his first breath in Chilham as his mum and dad rushed to Ashford from their home in Whitstable Road, Blean.

Amazingly, it was the second time it had happened to the couple, with daughter Scarlet born in a Range Rover outside a soup factory in the same village four years ago.

Mum-of-five Faye - whose first two children were born after labour's lasting a combined 42 hours - said: "For it to happen once was something in itself, but to happen twice is extraordinary.

"You just wouldn't expect it in a million years.

"The doctors and nurses said it was unheard of and even we're still trying to take in what happened."

Overdue and told she was expecting an 11lb baby, Faye had tried everything to bring on labour, having two sweeps and even walking six miles to Whitstable and back.

But she had to wait until last Wednesday morning for her first contraction.

She said: "I woke up at 3.55am and thought this is it. I phoned my parents to get them to come round and look after the children.

"At that point my contractions were very quick and very intense.

"Straight away I wanted an epidural. I knew I was having a big baby and I couldn't deal with that pain for four hours or more.

"It meant going to Ashford because Canterbury doesn't offer epidurals, but I was just obsessed with having one.

"I joked before we left that this reminded me of when we had Scarlet. Carl obviously took me seriously because he put some towels down on the back seat."

The couple left their home at 4.30am and got as far as Chilham when little Rex took matters into his own hands.

Faye said: "I just felt this overwhelming urge to push - the same as I had with Scarlet.

"It was impossible to fight. I just retreated into my own little world. It was stressful but I wasn't concerned. I felt calm inside because I knew I'd done it before.

"When he came out he was crying, so we knew he was all right. I just held him in my arms until we got to the hospital."

Carl, who remembers the lightning-quick labour slightly differently, joked: "She may have felt calm inside, but she didn't look it.

"She was screaming like I've never heard her before. It was frightening. There was no chance of me pulling over. I didn't want to get involved.

"I was driving in the middle of nowhere with my wife delivering our baby in the back seat of the car. It doesn't get any more terrifying than that."

Baby Rex took his first breath at 4.48am and within 15 minutes was being checked over by doctors.

Carl said: "I ran in and told them what had happened and about six or seven staff came rushing out to the car.

"They couldn't believe it when we said it was the second time it had happened to us.

"We were told having a baby in your car is rare, having two is bloody unlucky."

The couple thought about naming their latest addition after the car he was born in, but settled on Rex.

Carl, 43, said: "We did think about Rover, but it sounded too much like a dog's name, so Rex was the closest we could get.

"It's certainly a story to tell them when they're older. We're just hoping Scarlet doesn't think Rex has stolen her thunder."