A 999 Emergency Medical Advisor (EMA) who helped guide a couple through the emergency birth of their baby has been reunited with the newborn she helped bring into the world.
Second-time parents, Grace and Gary, from Bexhill-on-Sea, have praised the South East Coast Ambulance (SECAmb) team who supported them when Grace went into sudden labour, leaving no time to reach hospital.
In the early hours of 6 November 2025, the couple were at home when Grace suddenly went into labour. With contractions progressing rapidly and the birth imminent, Gary dialled 999 for urgent help.
EMA, Jess, picked up the call and calmly guided them through the delivery as emergency help was arranged.
“Calls like this can feel intense, but it’s important to stay calm and give clear guidance,” Jess said. “Grace and Gary did brilliantly, and it was a real team effort to make sure everything went as safely as possible.”
Within 10 minutes, the first ambulance crew – Trainee Associate Ambulance Practitioner, Spencer, and Paramedic, David – arrived on scene moments after baby Rex had been born with Jess’ support over the phone.
They were quickly joined by, Paramedic, Nigel, and Associate Ambulance Practitioner, Charlotte, and together the team worked quickly to ensure Grace and Rex were well.
With out-of-hospital births, maintaining a new-born’s temperature is vital and the crews acted quickly to keep baby Rex warm and stable while carrying out initial checks.
After being assessed at home, Grace and Rex were taken to Conquest Hospital for further care and monitoring.
“It all happened so quickly which we weren’t expecting,” Grace said. “All of the team was so reassuring and we’re so grateful to everyone involved helping bring Rex into the world safely.”
Gary added: “We can’t thank the team enough - especially Jess on the phone. Her calmness helped us stay calm throughout the birth.”
In a special moment following the incident, the family were reunited with Jess and the attending crews at SECAmb’s Polegate Make Ready Centre, giving Jess the chance to finally meet baby Rex in person.
Jess said: “You never forget calls like this, but you don’t often get to see what happens afterwards. Meeting Rex and his family was incredibly special and a real reminder of why we do this job.”
For Spencer, Rex was the first birth he had attended. He said: “When we arrived, Grace and baby had already done the hard work. Our priority was making sure they were both stable and keeping Rex warm, which is so important in situations like this. It was really special to be part of such a safe arrival, and lovely to see the family again afterwards.”
SECAmb responded to over 1,000 maternity related incidents in the year 2024/25, reflecting the critical role call handlers and ambulance clinicians play in supporting births outside of hospital. Strengthening emergency maternity care is a key part of the Trust’s evolving models of care, focused on delivering the right treatment in the right place at the right time.
To support this, SECAmb clinicians continue to work closely with regional midwives through shared learning, joint training and improved communication. This collaborative approach, led by SECAmb’s Consultant Midwife, Dawn Kerslake, is helping improve care for women and newborns in pre-hospital environments across the South East.
Now safely home, the family are enjoying life as a family of four and treasuring every moment with their two boys.
