Pregnancy

Going into labor at home when heading to the hospital is part of your birth plan can be a pretty scary thing, but one woman in Britain wound up having a shockingly calm experience after her 7-year-old daughter delivered her baby! The mom, Rachael Dennis, started having contractions in the middle of the night, and when she started screaming, her little girl came to the rescue.

Most 7-year-olds would probably panic and have no clue exactly what was going on, but Chloe Dennis took hold of the situation like a true professional, and calmly began coaching her mother through the birth. Good grief! I had my husband and a couple of labor & delivery nurses trying to get me through the process and they didn't even seem like enough, so I can't even imagine how incredible this little girl's relaxation techniques must be. And her midwife skills didn't end there.

When her baby sister was born in the family bathroom, Chloe ran and got a towel, picked up the newborn, and wrapped her up to keep her warm. And after that, she finally called for help, and then had the presence of mind to pack herself a bag to go spend the night at her uncle's while her mother went off to the hospital. Pretty smart kid!

Rachael, of course, can't stop singing her daughter's praises, and in a funny coincidence, she is actually a "nursery nurse," so I can't help but wonder if Chloe's heroic actions in helping deliver her sister were a result of instinct, or from watching and learning from the example her mother set in her chosen profession. 

They say that newborns immediately bond with the first people who hold them, so odds are good that Chloe and her new baby sister will have a very special and unique relationship growing up. I'm not sure siblings can get much closer than these two!

Do you ever worry about going into labor at home? Do you have a plan in place if that happens?

Image via Chris. P/Flickr