Special delivery

A team from Great Ormond Street have delivered a baby for the first time in the hospital’s 157 year history.

Despite not having a maternity unit, staff from a range of specialist teams were able to deliver Zac Abbott calmly and safely, while his big sister Kelly, an inpatient, played in the room next door. 

Nicola Tyler, 32, from Canvey Island went in to labour on the hospital’s Elephant ward at around 11:00am on Friday, 4 September.

Nicola said: “At about 11:00am I had my ‘show’ and told the ward’s nurses I was in labour.  They were very reassuring and called the maternity staff at University College London Hospital.  My contractions at this point were 30 to 40 minutes apart so they told me to lie down and not to worry.

“I went and took a warm bath and lay on the bed in Kelly’s room, but within a matter of minutes my contractions had become stronger and more frequent.  Sue Snaith, ward sister on Elephant called in Sangeeta Mudaliar, specialist registrar, to check how dilated I was.

“I then heard a voice saying ‘I can see the head, you’re fully dilated Nicola but you can’t push yet, we need to wait for the paramedics to arrive!’ When they did, Caroline Kanyanga, intensive care senior staff nurse, delivered Zac. Caroline, who is a qualified midwife, was assisted by Mike Wise, clinical site practitioner, Ailish Barry, clinical nurse specialist, Sue and Sangeeta. Without doubt it was a real team effort”.

Nicola’s partner Dave Abbott, 37, was at home when she went in to labour, waiting for a pram to be delivered.  Despite rushing to the hospital he was unable to make it in time to see Zac arrive. Nicola’s oldest daughter Chloe, 9, waited patiently at home for news on the new arrival.

Nicola continues: “Zac was born at about 2:10pm and Sue Snaith held my hand throughout.  It is incredible that such a broad team of specialists helped me give birth to my beautiful baby boy and I cannot thank them enough, not just for the care they gave to Zac and I, but for what they have done for Kelly too”.

Dr Jane Collins, chief executive at Great Ormond Street Hospital said: “Firstly I would like to congratulate the family on their new arrival. We don't set out to deliver babies at Great Ormond Street but it doesn't surprise me that our staff were calm, reassuring and very effective when faced with this situation. Their team work is a credit to the organisation and they should all feel very proud.”

Nicola concluded: “Four days after Zac was born, and once Kelly had her final round of treatment, we were able to return home and be together as a family which has been lovely, and we’ve had no end of visitors”.

Kelly, 6, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in her neck in June this year.  She is continuing to make a pleasing and steady recovery.

Contact information:

For further information please contact Hayley Dodman, Great Ormond Street Hospital press office, on 0207 239 3126 or email dodmah@gosh.nhs.uk

For genuine and urgent out of hours call speak to switchboard on 020 7405 9200

Notes to editors:

1. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust does not have a maternity unit.  The hospital’s archivist has no evidence of any previous births taking place at the Trust.
2. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust is the country’s leading centre for treating sick children, with the widest range of specialists under one roof.  With the UCL Institute of Child Health, we are the largest centre for paediatric research outside the US and play a key role in training children’s health specialists for the future. Our charity needs to raise £50 million every year to help rebuild and refurbish Great Ormond Street Hospital, buy vital equipment and fund pioneering research. With your help we provide world class care to our very ill children and their families.

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