Lisa – Mum gives birth in the front garden because the baby arrives faster than expected. When Lisa Leavey felt some nagging ᴘᴀɪɴ, she didn’t think it was anything to worry about at first. Already a mother of one, she’s ᴘʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴛ with her second baby boy and thinks she’ll know when ʟᴀʙᴏʀ begins. But things really went fast, and Lisa ended up giving birth in her front garden when she realized the baby was about to be born while walking to the car to get to the hospital. Her husband, Emmett, 31, finally gave birth to their second son, Michael as she lay on the grass.

The 33-year-old explained: ‘I noticed I had a few giggles and put it down the back of Braxton. “I’ve been busy all day and my husband was putting on a play for my son for Christmas and I told him I was having some symptoms and we decided at around 6:30pm to have my son Sean stay. I knew ʟᴀʙᴏʀ could take a while, so I was just hanging around the house and at 9pm we called the hospital to let them know we were on our way. We live a few minutes from the hospital, so my husband and I think we have plenty of time to get there. But as she stepped out of the car, she realized Michael was in a hurry to meet them. She added: “I didn’t get in the car. Emmett tried to get me into the house, but baby Michael was born within minutes and was right on our front lawn. Emmett helped him catch him when he came out.”

The couple, who are originally from Fermanagh, Nᴏʀᴛʜᴇʀɴ Iʀᴇʟᴀɴᴅ, but now live in Brisbane, Aᴜsᴛʀᴀʟɪᴀ, have had an easy ᴘʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴄʏ, except during the ᴘᴀɴᴅᴇᴍɪᴄ.

Lisa said: “Pʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴛ during a ᴘᴀɴᴅᴇᴍɪᴄ is difficult, as restrictions are put in place with appointments and hospital visits. I am also considered an essential worker as a social worker, continuing my work with vulnerable families throughout my ᴘʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴄʏ.” Since she was 10 days overdue with their first son Sean, she had expected Michael to be late as well. But he arrived on time for his due date, December 9. She laughed: ‘ I’m pretty comfortable thinking I’ve got plenty of time to prepare. I’m having my first son given the birth of my first son was 10 days and my ʟᴀʙᴏʀ lasted 5 hours, which is considered pretty quick for a person mother for the first time. The second ᴘʀᴇɢɴᴀɴᴄʏ, I didn’t know what I was going to do because I wanted a more natural birth.”

But Michael arrived on time and was eager to meet them, reaching the lawn before the ambulance could arrive. Lisa added: ‘20 minutes later, the paramedics arrived, surprised the baby was born. After they checked Michael was fine, Emmett was able to cut his umbilical cord. “Baby Michael is doing well and they are settling down as a family of four.

But family and friends back home in Northern Ireland have enjoyed hearing his dramatic birth story. Lisa said: “Our family is very happy that baby Michael is healthy and everything is fine. So far, Michael is a happy kid. We love having him and feel so lucky to have him. After the crazy 2020. My parents had hoped to come to Aᴜsᴛʀᴀʟɪᴀ and meet him, however, due to Cᴏᴠɪᴅ-19 having to put their plans on hold. They hope to debut in the new year after the deadlines. Travel restrictions have been lifted. “We had a lot of facetime calls and enjoyed spending time with our family over the Christmas break.”