Mum Sasha Tadman gives birth at Texaco garage

Mum Sasha Tadman had planned a calm, relaxed, water birth for the arrival of her second child.

But baby Clementine had different ideas – she was born in her parents’ car on a petrol station forecourt.

Mrs Tadman and her husband Dan were driving from their home in Upper Halling to Medway Maritime Hospital, confident they had plenty of time to reach the birthing suite, when it became clear that the baby was coming more quickly than expected.

Mr Tadman pulled over into the Texaco service station in Anthony’s Way on Medway City Estate and it wasn’t long before Clementine arrived in the world as an ambulance was called and service station staff rushed to help.

Mrs Tadman, 36, said: “I’m just beginning to realise it happened – I gave birth in the car in a petrol station.”

She added: “I had no idea where we were at all, he just pulled over and jumped on the phone to the ambulance.

“I just screamed at him to come around because I knew she was nearly here and he dropped the phone and next thing I remember was looking over my shoulder and he was holding her.

“I wanted to have a nice relaxing hypno-birth in a water bath – that didn’t quite happen.”

They left home at 11.55am and Clementine arrived at 12.29pm on Thursday.

The couple and their new arrival were taken by ambulance to hospital where they were met by Mr Tadman’s mum, who as well as being a midwife, was halfway through having her hair cut when they called with the news.

The trio were back home that evening with older sister, Luna-Lilly, three.

Mrs Tadman said: “She’s perfect, she’s lovely. Luna-Lilly was very excited to meet her. We didn’t know if we were having a boy or a girl, but she knew what names we’d chosen so she was able to tell nan and grandad what we were going to call her.”

Mrs Tadman, a teacher at Bursted Wood Primary School in Bexleyheath, said: “I’m just beginning to realise it happened – I gave birth in the car in a petrol station.

“Thank you to all the passers by, staff at the petrol station, ambulance and police for all their help, we will be forever grateful.”

They were helped by a man who covered her with a blanket, a lady who gave them curtains to wrap Clementine, and staff in the Co-op store at the petrol station gave them drinks and chocolate.

Petrol station team manager Zara Bennett said: “I was in the office when I heard screams. I thought there was a domestic, but we looked outside and there were people running to the car. Someone said they were on the way to the delivery suite – they must have had to pull in here.”

South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed crews were called to reports of a woman in the late stages of labour shortly before 12.30pm.

A spokesman said the baby was born before their arrival, adding: “The crews treated the mum and baby before taking her to Medway Maritime Hospital. We wish them both well.”