Essex ambulance crews who revived newborn baby reunited with happy family

At home , Natalie Pells with baby Lucas and 4 year old William. Lucas was delivered at home with Williams help who called for help 10/3/2016

Natalie Pells unexpectedly went into labour at her home in Great Bentley before “all hell broke loose” in her sister Emma’s words.

Natalie’s four-year-old son William calmly rang Emma and explained what was happening, asking his aunty to come round.

It became apparent there was no time to get to the hospital so Emma called 999, prompting paramedic Dawn Howlett and emergency care practitioner David Evans to arrive within six minutes.

Due to complications during labour back-up was sent by the East of England Ambulance Service in the form of station supervisor Jan Boreham, paramedic Scott Dyer and emergency medical technician Sue McCloud, while a district midwife also assisted.

Ambulance crews meet family of mum and baby they helped to save, Natalie Pellls and Lucas Self (Image: Archant)

Jan said: “When Natalie gave birth, her baby wasn’t breathing so we had to act quickly.”

Dawn added: “The atmosphere had changed and there was unusual tension which left us all sensing something wasn’t quite right.”

Fortunately Jan and the midwife were able to resuscitate the baby, named Lucas, and get him breathing.

He was then taken to Colchester General Hospital, as well as mum in a separate ambulance as she had lost a significant amount of blood.

After three days in hospital both mother and baby made a full recovery.

Following the birth on January 20, this week Natalie’s family were able to meet the ambulance crews under much happier circumstances and thank them for their efforts.

Natalie said: “It has been great to meet the crews again and thank them, they do an amazing job and we are very grateful to them.

“It was a surreal couple of days and was strange to comprehend what had happened but fortunately these guys were on hand to do such an amazing job.”

There was also praise for new big brother William, whose aunty Emma said: “William was absolutely fantastic – he called me and said that his mummy needed help.”