A mother-of-two, who gave birth in the King’s College Hospital car park after leaving home ‘a bit too late’, is thanking the ‘amazing’ staff who helped her.
On Sunday 25 June, staff from the emergency and maternity departments teamed up to deliver baby Ted James after his mother Nina’s labour progressed faster than anyone imagined.
Nina Segal, 35, a playwright from Forest Hill, said she didn’t quite make it inside the hospital after ‘leaving home a bit too late.’
Talking about Ted’s arrival into the world, she said: “I never felt like either Ted or I were in any danger. But I do see that it could have all gone very differently. Everyone at King’s is amazing and we are very, very grateful.”
Nina explained that her waters had broken the night before, but they spent the night at home after checking it was okay.
The mother-of-two, who wrote a play currently being shown at the Rose Theatre in Bankside told us: “Ted’s my second child. We were more confident this time and keen not to rush.
“In the morning we got checked again, but they said we could go home as we didn’t want to be induced.”
She recalled going home with her partner, Jeff James, who ‘made a nice lunch.’ “To be honest we just stayed at home a bit too long,” she said.
When her contractions were more frequent and with the earlier advice of a midwife, Nina said they made their way to the hospital.
“As soon as I laid eyes on the hospital my body was like – it’s time to push.
“It was a sunny day and there were loads of hospital staff on their break outside. I vividly remember one staff member was eating a cornetto – but she dashed it over her shoulder when they realised how soon Ted would be born.”
Nina said when it was clear that they couldn’t make it upstairs to the ward, staff acted fast – which involved putting up privacy screens and making sure she had somewhere to lie to give birth.
“When they heard him cry, everyone broke into applause,” she continued, “I forgot we were in public.”
Despite the unconventional birthplace, the hospital’s car park in Denmark Hill, Nina commented that it was ‘much easier’ than her first birth, saying: “My body knew what to do. It happened so fast.”
On a lighthearted note, Nina said because the hospital is on the borough boundary – the birth certificate was complicated as they had to pinpoint exactly where baby Ted was born. “I didn’t realise how much admin would be needed for a baby being born in a car park,” she joked.
After careful deliberation, it turns out he is a Lambeth lad – “If he had been born on the other side of the main road, it would have been Southwark!” Nina said.
Luckily there were no complications following the birth, and both Nina and baby Ted were ready to go home the next day.
For their efforts that day, the staff are up for a Lifesaver of the Year award.
Commenting on this, Nina said: “I’d love them to win. The awards are amazing – the NHS is amazing. They provide the best care – even in a car park.”
The King’s Stars Annual Awards, supported by King’s College Hospital Charity, recognise and celebrate staff and teams at the Trust who go the extra mile for patients and the wider community. The winner of one special category, Lifesaver of the Year, is selected by the public.
Another nominee for the award is Surgeon Bassel Zebian and the Neurosurgery Team at King’s College Hospital – who saved a baby’s life after successful pioneering keyhole surgery.
Surgeon Nicholas Faure Walker and the Intensive Care Team at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) have also been nominated. They saved a man’s life who was told his chances of survival were low after undergoing 13 hours of surgery.
Voting is now open here and the winner will be announced on Thursday 2 November.