Early present for mother – with a little firefighter help

By Mary Dennehy

A TINY Tallaght baby couldn’t wait until her due date on Christmas Day to be born, so decided to give her parents a surprise experience they’ll never forget – thanks to “amazing support” from local fire fighters and gardaí.

Baby Aubrey was due to make her entrance on December 25. However, not wanting to miss out on the festive celebrations, she decided to surprise her family a week early.

Living in Marlfield, Aubrey’s Mam Lesley Comerford told The Echo how she went into labour very quickly at home and with support from gardaí and Nutgrove Fire Station, was placed in the back of an ambulance that was Coombe-bound.

Lesley told The Echo: “I was in the back of the ambulance, but the lads had to pull over on the way to the Coombe because Aubrey wasn’t waiting.

“The firefighters from Nutgrove were unbelievable and so where the Gardai – I can’t thank them enough.

“They were so nice and gave us the best care and they made the experience, which was pretty scary, extra special.

“We’ll never forget what they did for us and Aubrey, they gave us amazing support, we’ll be forever grateful.

“I think sometimes we forget what our local fire fighters and gardaí do for us. We take it for granted, and as we all get ready to celebrate Christmas, they’ll be on call, ready to help us if need be.”

Lesley, who has three other children, added: “Aubrey is 100 per cent, she’s doing great and the whole family is delighted
with our special little Christmas present.

“Aubrey definitely topped having a Christmas Day birthday with her extraordinarily big entrance into the world, which we’ll never forget.”

Firefighter Niall Bergin from Tallaght and Sarah Good, from Wicklow, were two of the crew members who supported Lesley, her partner Micheal and little Aubrey – who was born weighing just six pounds and seven-and-a-half ounces.

Speaking about Aubrey’s arrival, firefighter Sarah said: “Well done to an incredibly brave mum (and dad), who I’m sure didn’t have an ambulance delivery featuring in their birth plan.

“And a huge congratulations to them on the birth of their beautiful daughter, Aubrey.

“We are occasionally privileged to be in a position to assist with out-of-hospital childbirth, but full credit to very brave parents.
“Wonderful outcome and super assistance from our colleagues in An Garda Síochána.”

Aubrey was one of a number of babies delivered by firefighters from stations in Tallaght and Nutgrove this year.