fan Noble News Reporter ian@usnews.com THE Whelans ushered in the North Shore’s second home-delivered baby this year. However, their new daughter was sup- posed to happen in the hospi- tal. There was no doctor or midwite present at their Norgate home Sunday morn- ing for baby MaryJo's sofa- side birth. But after panic, some fran- tic searching for a shoelace, help from a 9-1-1 operator and mother Mary Ann’s work, Colin Whelan held his healthy seven-pound, 10-ounce daughter in his arms. “Basically, panic was the initial reaction, the initial sort -. of feeling,” said Colin. “Then I think my fatherly instincts took over and allowed me to _ make sure the baby was com- - ing out OK” _. Wife Mary Ann took a stoic stance to the unplanned home ee so en you are really in " pain and have to dosomething . ~,emergency-like, you don’t = think about it, you just do it.” . The couple, who already _ have two children, had gone to Lions Gate Hospital at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday night. The hospital sent Mary : Ann home with instructions to come back if the 20 to 30 minute contractions started to come more frequently, said in. The hospital gave Mary Ann a sleeping pill to help her relax, he added. Mary Ann fell asleep from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. After wak- ing, Colin tried to get the two organized to go to the hospi- The contractions were six minutes apart. Mary Ann attempted to pee, but couldn’r because she felt like she had to push, said Colin. Then her membranes broke while she moved from the coilet to the couch. Calin, who was present at the births of his first two chil- ‘dren, realized his wife was fully dilated. His brother Brian _ arrived. Mary Ann wanted co push and Brian called 9-1-1, said Colin. Colin made sure "Mary Ann’s legs were properly posi- CAS! FIREPLACES: » ne "e PRODUCTS LTD « ; 165 PEMBERTON’ AVE:,.N. VAN. 985-0234: Closed Sunday "& Monday ° the arrival of | Rushed delivery MaryJo Whelan, who was born at home. tioned, her back was OK, she had something to hold on to and everything he needed was close at hand. Mary Ann pushed and the baby’s head came out to the bridge of its nose. The 9-1-1 attendant told Brian to make sure that the baby had a clear passageway, so. Colin put his finger between the baby’s lips. After an initial pop, the baby was breathing. . Two more pushes and MaryJo was in the world. Colin used towels to wipe the baby’s head and pur a blanket on MaryJo. Meanwhile, Brian was fran- tically searching for a shoc- string to tie the umbilical cord. “I couldn’t think where I was keeping the string at that point,” said Colin, “so J just said go over there to my new shoes and grab the string.” Five minutes after MaryJo’s birth, the ambulance arrived. 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