This woman had no idea that when she went for a toilet break at work, she’d end up delivering a baby.
Amazingly, the baby’s 47-year-old mom says she had no idea she was pregnant, and was as shocked as Debbie Alfos to find a baby girl about to pop out of her body.
Debbie, 52, who works as a messenger for a law firm in Keerom Street in Cape Town, explains she was on her way to the loo at about 4.30pm when she heard screams for help.
The Bonteheuwel woman found the crying Mitchells Plain woman, who asked not to be identified, sitting on the toilet, begging for help.
“I was not sure at first, but she opened her legs and I could see a baby’s head crowning,” says Debbie.
“I was shocked, bent down and just stuck out my hands.
“The baby girl fell into my hands and some instinct inside me guided me.
“I called my colleagues to get clean towels and wrapped the baby in one of them.
“I used a corner of the towel to clean out her mouth and she gave a grateful cry.
“I then wiped off her beautiful face. Her cord was still attached.”
She says the shocked woman, who has four other children, didn’t even know she was expecting a baby, and had assumed menopause was the cause of her ailments of late.
“She is a sweet lady and the birth was a surprise to her,” says Debbie.
Debbie also helped the mom push out the afterbirth.
“It all happened so quickly. Within five minutes I had helped this mother bring her child into the world. She is an absolute blessing and her mother named her Grace,” Debbie says with a smile.
The newborn was named Grace.
An ambulance arrived 15 minutes later and mom and baby were taken to Somerset Hospital where they are doing well.
“I went to go and see them and Grace weighs 2.5kg and is very healthy. Her mother says after the initial shock, she is very happy with her addition to the family.”
The mom of two adds: “God blessed me when he allowed me to assist this woman bring her child into this world. She will be a blessing to her parents, our Grace.”