Woman unexpectedly delivers her own grandchild -- for 2nd time
In an unlikely coincidence, a woman with no medical background recently delivered a newborn grandchild -- and the same thing happened five years ago.
On Sept. 21, April McMasters, lovingly known to her three grandkids as "Mum," assisted in the birth of her granddaughter Braelynn in the car on the way to the hospital. McMasters also delivered her first grandchild, Maddex, when he was unexpectedly born at home in 2014.
"He loves to tell anybody he can," McMasters of Holiday, Florida, told "Good Morning America" of Maddex, now 4. "He says, 'I was born on the bathroom floor and I was so excited to be here, that I popped right out and my mum caught me.'"
When Maddex was born, McMasters' daughter, Makayla Cole, called her at work to tell her she was in labor.
"I called my mom at work and asked if she could come home because [the contractions] were getting stronger," Cole told "GMA." "My mom called the hospital who told us they weren't close together or long enough. They told us to wait it out a little longer."
Cole thought she felt the baby coming out and when McMasters checked her, Mcmasters was able to see Maddex's head.
McMasters dialed a 911 operator who walked her through the birth.
"It was an incredible experience," McMasters said. "I always said I'd do it again in a heartbeat, but never on purpose. What are the odds that I would have a second chance?"
In 2017, Cole gave birth to another son, Nixen, who was born at a hospital.
Cole said both her children arrived pretty quickly, so when she and her husband Nate were expecting a third time, the family made sure they were ready for anything.
McMasters even held onto an at-home birthing kit (a gag gift from a friend), which came in handy when Braelynn, now two months, was unexpectedly born in the backseat of Cole's car.
"She was set to be induced Monday morning, but Saturday she woke up and her water broke," McMasters said "I delivered her all on my own. There were no other directions until after she was born [the operator] told me to dry her off and then put her in a clean towel."
Cole said she loves sharing her children's birth stories.
"I think it's really cool and makes the bond strong between [my mom] and my children."
