Baby is born in the front garden: Surveillance camera films chaotic birth

Calabasas (USA) - What sounds like a dramatic experience for most mothers was the fulfillment of a dream for Natasha Downing (34) from California : The US-American gave birth to her second child without a midwife or doctors - right on the doorstep of her home.

In the footage from the front door camera, you can see Lilybella being born in the front garden.
In the footage from the front door camera, you can see Lilybella being born in the front garden.  © Bildmontage/Screenshot/TikTok/mrsdowning_

Completely unaware of what that day at the end of August would hold in store for her, the 34-year-old had been with her midwife that morning, who was performing an egg breakage on her. In this common procedure, an obstetrician uses fingers to separate the outer covering of the amniotic sac from the uterine wall. This is intended to induce the birth naturally.

However, Natasha did not know that this would happen sooner than expected.

Shortly after the appointment, the mother went into labor. When they started every three minutes, Natasha informed her midwife, who lived just 15 minutes away.

It wasn't long before the contractions became painful and there was only a one-minute gap between them. Despite this, Natasha and her husband decided to wait another 30 minutes before driving to the hospital.

Baby is born unassisted

Fortunately, both the baby and the mother were fine after the sudden birth. The first visitor was her little son.
Fortunately, both the baby and the mother were fine after the sudden birth. The first visitor was her little son.  © Bildmontage/Screenshot/TikTok/mrsdowning_

But when the 34-year-old could no longer stand because of the pain, it was clear that it was time to leave. On the way to the car, the mother-to-be suddenly realized that the baby was coming. "I could just feel my body pushing it down," recalls the US-American.

She barely made it to the front door, where she crouched down in the front garden. There, her waters broke and her partner discovered the baby's head. Then everything happened very quickly: while her husband called the midwife again, her father also called the emergency services. But both the doctors and the midwife arrived too late!

Lilybella saw the light of day without their help at around 6.25 pm. Fortunately, both the child and her mother were in good health despite the rushed birth. When the midwife finally arrived, Natasha had only just delivered the placenta.

Even though the birth was anything but planned, the now mother of two is overjoyed: "It was everything I'd ever dreamed of, it was everything I'd wanted for both my births," says Natasha happily, according to the Daily Mail.

"It sounds like it was a traumatic birth, but it was very healing and really amazing."