It’s a (modern day) Christmas nativity! New mother gives birth to baby boy in Mini Cooper next to field full of cattle Away In A Manger-style

• Shinead Welsh, 32, from Sharpness, Gloucestershire gave birth to Alfie in a car
• She had been on the way to hospital with her mother, brother and his girlfriend
• Cows rushed over and stood behind the fence as she gave birth in just 11 minutes

New mother Shinead Welsh cuddled baby Alfie in pictures today after he was born in the back of a Mini Cooper in a country lane on the way to the hospital.

Born on the 5th day of advent, this rustic birth certainly invokes the well-known nativity story.

A herd of cows in a nearby field rushed over to the fence while Shinead was in labour and greeted Alfie’s arrival with a chorus of moos as he began to cry.

Shinead, 32, from Sharpness, Gloucestershire, said: ‘It was like they were welcoming Alfie into the world, like something from a Christmas carol.’

Hours before Alfie’s birth, Shinead had hurt her ankle badly and made an appointment at her local hospital – the Vale, in Dursley, Gloucestershire.

This later turned out to be a broken foot. 

Shinead Welsh (right), holding baby Alfie, with her mum Vicki Willetts

However, she began to experience pregnancy cramps and was advised to head straight to the maternity unit at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, 25 miles from Sharpness.

In the driving seat was her brother Connor, and also in the car was Connor’s girlfriend Holly and Shinead’s mother Vicki Willetts.

Shinead realised they would not make it in time and they pulled up in a country lane, with her mother on the phone to the 999 emergency line giving her instructions.

She gave birth to Alfie, her first child, in just 11 minutes in the passenger seat of her car in a lane leading to the Fromebridge Mill pub, off the A38 at the Whitminster roundabout.

Council administrator Shinead had been booked for an induced labour the very next day.

She said: ‘We’d headed up the A38 from Sharpness but after about 15 minutes, as we approached the Whitminster roundabout, I realised I was going into labour.

‘I shouted ‘I’m not going to make it, you need to pull over now, the baby is coming!’

‘I told them to pull over at the Fromebridge and we went down the lane and pulled over and my waters broke.

Baby Alfie was born in a Mini Cooper on a country lane in Gloucestershire on December 5

‘When I went into labour, the cows rushed over and all stood behind the fence.

‘We called 999 but it was clear that an ambulance wouldn’t make it in time so they spoke to my mum and gave instructions.

‘They spoke to her and told her everything she needed to do.

‘I was in the passenger seat and within 11 minutes of it all starting, Alfie arrived.

‘Luckily a lovely driver drove past and gave us some blankets so me and the baby could keep warm.’

Alfie Anthony Benjamin Welsh was born weighing 6lbs 3ozs at 2.50pm on December 5, a week before his due date.

Mother and baby were taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital by ambulance and discharged the following day after being checked over.

Shinead paid a special tribute to her mum Vicki.

Shinead, donning a brace for her broken foot and holding baby Alfie, with her mum Vicki, outside the Fromebridge Mill pub, which was nearby when she gave birth

She said: ‘That amazing lady delivered Alfie absolutely beautifully.

‘It must have been the scariest and most amazing feeling for her.

‘She kept me calm and made sure I breathed and pushed at the right times and kept Alfie and me warm while we waited for the ambulance, all while trying to stay calm herself so I wouldn’t freak out.

‘She deserves the world and more for everything she has done for me.’

News quickly spread to the Fromebridge Mill pub, which later posted on social media, saying: ‘We have some special news to announce – the birth of a healthy baby boy in the car on our driveway.

‘Mum and baby are doing really well.

‘Congratulations to you all and we can’t wait to see the baby once your [sic] all settled.’

Shinead eventually had an X-ray back at her local Vale hospital and discovered she had a broken foot.

Despite the injury, both she and Alfie are doing well and the family are looking forward to an extra special Christmas.

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