Mum marries whilst in labour

Sep 29 2008 by Dave Black, The Journal

A HOSPITAL delivery room was renamed the Honeymoon Suite by maternity staff after a pregnant bride came straight from her wedding celebrations to give birth to her first child.

Mum-to-be Emma Lowdon, 36, tied the knot with partner Sean Allum, 35, in a register office ceremony on Friday – while having minor contractions and knowing her baby could arrive at any minute.

After getting through the service and a brief reception with family and friends, the newly-married couple were whisked straight to nearby Wansbeck General Hospital in Ashington, Northumberland – where 5lb baby Josh was delivered less than 24 hours later.

Josh’s arrival – five weeks prematurely – was the joyful culmination of a stressful few days for Emma and Sean, which at one point threatened to force the cancellation of their wedding.

The couple, who live in Dudley, near Cramlington and have been together for five years, fixed their wedding date for last Friday at Morpeth Registry Office, after Emma fell pregnant earlier this year. Everything was going to plan until her waters broke just three days before they were due to tie the knot, and she was admitted to hospital, throwing their plans into chaos.

Emma and Sean were determined they would be a married couple before the baby arrived and, after being given the green light by senior medical staff at Wansbeck General, decided to go ahead with Friday’s ceremony.

Watched by relatives and friends who had travelled from all over the country, they exchanged their vows despite Emma suffering labour pains and contractions, and having to make regular visits to the loo.

When they arrived at the hospital at 7pm following a short reception at Longhirst Hall, staff had stuck a sign saying Honeymoon Suite on the door of the delivery room. The birth was induced and little Josh arrived at 4pm on Saturday.

Yesterday proud Emma said: “The last few days have just been completely surreal and crazy, but now I would not have changed it for the world. We did consider cancelling the wedding after my waters broke on Tuesday, but I was absolutely determined that we would be married, and I would be Mrs Allum, before the baby came.

“The baby’s welfare was always the absolute top priority, but we decided to go ahead after the consultant said it would be OK and that it might be even more stressful if the wedding was cancelled. All the maternity staff at Wansbeck were brilliant, especially my midwife Allison Duthie. On the day of the wedding I was having mini-contractions but it has all been worthwhile. We only went ahead after being given the all-clear by the medical experts, and now Josh is fine and doing brilliantly.”

Sean, who is a project engineer with Cramlington air filter company McQuay UK, said: “When we got to the delivery room they had put up a big sign saying Honeymoon Suite. Even the registrar at Morpeth said she had never known anything like it.” Sean’s mother Anne, 58, who lives with her husband Bryan, 61, near Wylam, Northumberland, said: “On the day of the wedding Emma was getting pains, had contractions and could have had the baby at any stage, but they were both very keen to get married before he was born.

“Emma would have cancelled the wedding if there had been any risk, but she was given antibiotics and steroids to protect the baby. We were putting on a brave face but were very nervous all day.”

I was determined that we would be married, and I would be Mrs Allum, before the baby came