A Hunter Christmas Story

Newcastle Herald

Saturday December 20, 2008

By STEPHEN RYAN

WITH no time to even ask if there was room at the inn, Greg and Kristie Anderson welcomed daughter Chelsea into the world yesterday while parked outside East Maitland's Bank Hotel.

Instead of a manger, Chelsea was delivered in the back seat of the couple's Ford Futura.

Greg was on his way to work early yesterday when Kristie rang and said: "You'd better turn around."

Chelsea, who was due on December 28, was on her way, but there was no reason to panic yet.

Greg collected Kristie from their Tanilba Bay home and they were driving along Melbourne Street on the way to Maitland Hospital when Kristie ordered Greg to pull over.

"She just didn't want to hold back," Kristie said.

"She just pushed herself out. I didn't have to do any work."

With Kristie in the back seat, Greg pushed the driver's seat back and twisted around to help with the delivery. They rang 000, but it was too late.

"I was spinning right out," Greg said.

"They put me through to someone . . . They said just put my hand gently on her head and then I said 'Oops, the whole bloody lot is out'."

The umbilical cord was wrapped around Chelsea's neck and she wasn't breathing.

Neither Greg nor Kristie were going to wait for an ambulance and they were within minutes of the hospital.

They removed the cord themselves and drove on.

Kristie wrapped Chelsea in a towel and eventually their little Christmas present began to cough and splutter.

"Thank bloody God," Greg said.

"It was quite horrific," Kristie added. "It was scary. I wouldn't want to go through that again."

Chelsea weighed 3.48 kg and was 47 cm long.

Big brothers Dylan, 3, and Cody, 1, are smitten.

As for Christmas, Greg and Kristie are satisfied they've got what they wanted already.

"[Greg's] already given me my Christmas present," Kristie said.

"I'm proud of him for not passing out on me."

"[Kristie] was very good," Greg said. "I said to her afterwards, 'You done well, darl'."

Kristie and Chelsea expect to spend the weekend in hospital.

Greg said he'd love to have a beer at the Bank Hotel, but couldn't while he was on his P-plates.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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