YOUNG Daithi Friel didn’t give his mum much time to get to the hospital before he made a ‘swift’ appearance at the roadside in Kerrykeel in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

 

Aisling Friel and her husband, Brendan, reluctantly went to Letterkenny University Hospital for Aisling to be induced, as she was ten days overdue in her pregnancy. This was her second child and she knew herself that the baby wasn’t ready to come into the world just yet. She begged doctors to let her go home, assuring them that she would come straight back if she felt anything. 

 

After a full check-up and lot of begging, hospital staff finally agreed to let them go home. At around 10pm they arrived home to Doaghbeg, where their 16-month-old daughter, Fodhla was being minded by Aisling’s sister.

 

“With my first child I had a really long labour, and I knew I didn’t want to be waiting in hospital for ages. I wanted to be at home for as long as possible,” Aisling explained. 

 

Contractions started shortly after, but Aisling was not too concerned and carried on as normal; running a bath and getting her hospital bag ready. Contractions proceeded, getting stronger and closer together and around an hour later Aisling felt the ‘urge’ and knew it was time to go.  

 

“We got as far as Portsalon before my waters broke and I told Brendan to ring an ambulance quickly. The man on the phone could hear me in the background and told Brendan he had to pull over because the baby was on it’s way. He told Brendan to meet the ambulance at the bakery (Milford) but I shouted to him, ‘We’ll not make it as far as the bakery’,” she laughed. 

 

“It happened so quickly. We got pulled into Kerrykeel just opposite the Credit Union. It was late at night and there was no one about. 

 

“Brendan got into the back seat and the man on the phone talked him through everything, he was so great. Daithi was born at 12.29am.”

 

Thankfully Aisling had packed towels in her hospital bag and the baby was wrapped up and kept snug until the ambulance arrived.

 

Thinking quickly, Brendan used the lace from her boot to clamp the baby’s umbilical cord. 

 

“We still feel like it didn’t happen. When we were waiting on the ambulance we just looked at each other as if to say, ‘Did that really just happen?’

 

“We are so happy and lucky that everything went OK and our baby is here. It was a massive shock, and such a relief. We were ecstatic, it just felt like a dream.” 

 

The family were taken straight to the delivery ward in LUH and Daithi weighed in at an impressive 9.5lbs. 

 

“He was ten days over due, a typical man; keeps me waiting but then wouldn’t wait on me when it came down to it,” she laughed. 

 

 

After a thorough check-up of Mummy and baby, he was officially named Daithi, which ironically means something very appropriate in Irish Gaelic. 

 

“We named him straight away and it was soon after someone told me that it actually means ‘swiftness’. What are the chances?” 

 

The new family of four returned home on Thursday to doting sister Fodhla who loves her wee brother dearly.