'She's been a dream since': Mum praises medics who delivered baby Jo en route to CUMH

Baby Jo arrived a month early — and less than half an hour after mum Ruth phoned for an ambulance 

Gearóid and Ruth Hally with their daughters Mai (2) and one-day-old Jo, at their home in Boreenmanna Rd, Cork, after Jo's dramatic arrival in the world on Thursday. Picture: David Keane

A woman who gave birth in the back of an ambulance while being rushed to hospital has thanked the emergency services for their compassion and skill which ensured that she and her daughter both arrived safely.

Ruth Hally is recovering at home on Cork’s Boreenmanna Rd with husband, Gearóid, and their little girl, Mai, two, after baby Jo was born in the back of an ambulance, almost a month early, as it sped through Wilton, just metres from Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH).

In a tweet yesterday, Ms Hally praised the ambulance crew and said: “I'll never forget your compassion and incredible skill.” 

Thank you to the Cork ambulance crew who responded to a 999 call at 10.02am and delivered our baby (almost a month early) at 10.27 metres from CUMH.I'll likely never meet you again but I'll never forget your compassion and incredible skill @HSELive 🙏

— Ruth Hally (@ruthhally1) August 27, 2021

Speaking to the Irish Examiner later, Ms Hally, the civic engagement project coordinator at UCC, recalled the moment she realised the baby wasn’t going to wait until they reached hospital.

“I knew we were approaching Wilton and the ambulance was flying it. The only way I can describe it is that I just felt my body open up, I gave one push and out came her head,” she said.

I remember the paramedic in the back telling the driver to take it steady, and then the body came out — just like that. I could see she was a girl, and she cried straight away, so I knew she was healthy and everything was ok.

“It was like a real Hollywood moment. I was holding the paramedic’s hand, and got to hold her, and told the paramedics that her name was going to be Jo, after a character in Little Women, a book I love.

“The panic was over as soon as she arrived and she’s been a dream since.” 

Ms Hally, who was due to give birth in about four weeks, felt some back and pelvic pains on Wednesday night and presented at CUH’s emergency department at 3am on Thursday.

She said following a barrage of tests, doctors found no physical signs of labour and she was discharged a few hours later with a prescription for a urinary tract infection.

But as the morning progressed, the pain worsened and, by 10.02am, she dialled 999: “The operator talked me through everything. The ambulance arrived in no time,” she said.

'I was holding the paramedic’s hand, and got to hold her, and told the paramedics that her name was going to be Jo, after a character in 'Little Women',' says Ruth Hally relaxing at home just a day after giving birth to her. Picture: David Keane

Despite the swift response, baby Jo arrived in the ambulance as it neared the hospital at 10.27am — weighing in at 5lbs 15oz.

Mum and baby were then handed over into the care of CUMH.

Meanwhile, dad Gearóid, who had left Mai with a neighbour, drove to CUMH a few minutes later. But, because of Covid restrictions, he faced an anxious 80-minute wait outside before getting word that his wife and newborn were ok, and was allowed in. Mum and baby were discharged by 5.30pm.

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Ms Hally praised all the medical staff but said the maternity system is leaving dads in the dark and must find a way to accommodate them.

And she also encouraged pregnant women to trust their instincts and to use their voice.

Gearóid and Ruth and their two-year-old daughter Mai were surprised by the arrival of Mai's new sister Jo a whole month before schedule. Picture: David Keane

“If I hadn’t listened to myself and called the ambulance, I don’t know what would have happened. Jo probably would have been born here — I don’t know if we [Gearóid and herself] would have been brave enough to do it ourselves,” she said.