IT was not business as usual at a Dunsborough caravan park on Saturday morning.
Rather than taking early Leavers bookings, park owner Julie Parsons helped to deliver a baby in the back of a Toyota Land Cruiser.
In the time it took to call the ambulance and wait for its arrival, Julie and her 19-year-old daughter helped to deliver Kylie and Damien Kilmurray’s baby boy.
Damien, who had been staying at the Dunsborough Lakes Caravan Park with his wife Kylie, raced through the car park just before 11am on Saturday calling for an ambulance.
Julie heard the call, and with phone in hand ran to provide what assistance she could.
After placing a call to the local ambulance, Julie arrived at the car to find Kylie midway through the birth.
“Kylie looked at me and said ‘it’s coming’ and I knew she meant it,” Julie said.
“She said the contractions had started and her water had broken.
“The paramedic on the phone said ‘whatever you do, don’t think about preventing this birth’ which had been exactly what she was thinking.
“I rushed back inside, and came back with a blanket, three pillows and two towels.
Julie took instructions from the paramedic over the phone, while her daughter nursed Kylie’s head and Damien helped it in to the world.
“I was looking for the umbilical cord,” Julie said. “When the head came out I noticed it was around the baby’s shoulders and neck.
“I just got my fingers around it, but when that baby let out its first cry, I’ve never been so happy to hear something cry like that. It was a half hour from start to finish.
“Once the baby was out, we dumped a pillow from its case and put the baby in the pillowcase.
Kylie said the plan had been to collect some clothes before the birth, which was expected today.
“We were on our way to get clothes, then stay at my mum’s until the baby was born,” Kylie said.
“The dog was in the front seat just looking on, it was quite funny.”
After the thrill of helping to birth a baby, Julie was worried she might find life a bit dull now.
“I might have to take up sky diving for thrills after that, not much else would compare,” she laughed.
Damien and Kylie, who is recovering well in hospital, named their son Ja-Rule.
