Jazmine’s baby surprise

A Kirkham teacher’s seven-year-old daughter had a more dramatic half-term than most youngsters, after delivering her new baby sister.
India Faulkner with her daughter Jazmine, seven, who delivered her new baby sister Saffron Grace.India Faulkner with her daughter Jazmine, seven, who delivered her new baby sister Saffron Grace.
India Faulkner with her daughter Jazmine, seven, who delivered her new baby sister Saffron Grace.

Baby Saffron Grace rushed into the world almost three weeks early, giving mum India Faulkner, who works at Pear Tree School, the shock of her life, and leaving her to rely on Jazmine for help.

The drama unfolded in the early hours of last Thursday, at the family’s home in Morecambe.

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Mum India, whose partner Grahame was working away in Asia, said: “It was completely unexpected.

“I had been having a few signs, but even when I started going into labour I was convinced it wasn’t really happening, because I wasn’t due until June 18.

“Then at 12.45am my waters broke, so I Skyped Grahame to say what was happening, but we didn’t think it would be that quick.

“I phoned my mum and asked her to come over from Heysham, and then I had a bath to try to get comfortable.

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“Suddenly, I couldn’t even walk to the phone so I screamed for Jazmine. I said to her that I thought I was having the baby, and then I rang the delivery suite at the hospital, but by then I could feel the baby’s head and so the midwife said to ring 999.

“Jazmine got me some towels and then she rang 999 and put the phone on loudspeaker. The lady was really nice and told Jazmine what to do.

“We told her the head was coming out, and Jazmine was told to make sure she caught it.

“I was on the bathroom floor and Jazmine was being given instructions over the phone, and then telling me what I had to do too.

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“She then had to make sure the cord wasn’t around the baby’s neck and that she was breathing. It all just happened so quickly, and the baby was born within 20 minutes.”

Saffron arrived at 2.20am weighing a healthy 6lb 8oz.

Paramedics arrived soon afterwards, and after cutting the umbilical cord, India and both her daughters were taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

India, 32, said: “Jazmine stuck by my side the whole time in the ambulance and at hospital, she wouldn’t leave me. The midwives all said how fantastic Jazmine was.

“She was so brave, I am proud of her. She is a hero.”

Jazmine, who is in Year 2 at Great Wood Primary School, Morecambe, now has the ‘show and tell’ story to beat all others at school this week.

And she is even considering midwifery as a future career.

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She said: “Mum yelled for me and said she was feeling a lot of pain. I had to ring 999 and do what the lady told me to do. It was a bit scary, but it was really quick and I’m really happy that I did it.”

India, added: “Jazmine loves the baby, she is helping me out with everything – she is going to have a very close bond with her sister.”

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