'Hero' receptionist delivers baby in Doncaster hotel car park

A receptionist at a Doncaster hotel is being hailed a hero after she helped deliver a baby boy in the carpark and saved his life.

Karen Dyass says her instincts took over when Heather McSharry’s waters broke outside the Travelodge as the family stopped for a toilet break en route to hospital.

Karen and Heather’s husband Matthew teamed up to deliver baby Michael as paramedics talked them through the delivery on speakerphone.

But when the baby was born weighing just over 7lb, Karen realised he wasn’t breathing or crying.

As paramedics guided her through the process, Karen popped her fingers into Michael’s throat and cleared his airways so he could take in air.

Mum-of-two Karen, 46, then used Matthew’s shoelaces to tie the broken umbilical cord back together to keep mum and baby 'connected'.

Heather, who named the baby after passer-by Michael Falconer, who ran into the hotel to get help, said yesterday: “I cannot thank Karen and Michael enough for what they did for me and my family.

“Karen helped me deliver our baby and for that I will be eternally grateful.

“When baby Michael was born he wasn’t crying and Karen’s immediately took charge and cleared his airwaves so he could breathe.”

“She just stepped in and took control of a very difficult and scary situation."

Karen said: “I was just coming to the end of my shift and was totally taken aback when a man ran into the hotel asking for help, he said there was a pregnant woman outside who was in labour.

“Being a mum of two children, I know what a scary situation this is, so I immediately told a colleague to take over the reception desk and I grabbed a stack of fresh towels and ran outside.

“Heather was very scared and totally stressed out when I arrived at the scene but a few breathing exercises and lots of calm soothing words later - Heather was a little relaxed and in full labour.

“I was so scared too as I had never delivered a baby and didn’t really know what to do but I just stepped up and made keeping Heather comfortable a priority and remembered my situation and supported with lots of encouragement and held her hand.

“It’s an amazing and remarkable feeling delivering a baby and very scary when he was not initially crying.

“My instinct just kicked in and I knew I had to do whatever it takes to save this baby. I was so relieved when he started to cry.”

Full-time mum Heather started to feel contractions during the evening of October 14 – four days before the due date - at her home in Scawby, North Lincolnshire, so rang St James hospital in Leeds.

She was told to go in for a check-up, so the family piled into the car and headed off for the 60 mile road trip.

Before they had even reached the halfway point they were forced to stop so Francis could use the toilet at Doncaster North Services.

As supply chain manager Matthew took their little boy to the loo Heather immediately began to feel uncomfortable and quickly got out of the car.

Her waters broke and she began yelling for help.

Passer-by Michael Falconer and Karen, who was about to finish her evening shift, made Heather comfortable on a grass outside the Doncaster M18 Travelodge hotel.

Receptionist Karen ran into the back office and got a stack of fresh towels.

At this point, Matthew and Francis emerged from the toilet. Matthew dialled 999 and explained the situation to the operator.

Karen considered getting Heather into one of the hotel’s family rooms but baby was coming at such a fast rate mum-to-be Heather couldn’t be moved.

With no time to wait for the ambulance Karen took the lead and assisted Matthew and Heather to deliver baby.

After the birth, the ambulance arrived and took mum and baby to the hospital to be checked out.

Both were discharged two days later and are doing well.