'It was easy delivering my sister's baby, 'cos I seen it done on EastEnders'

WHEN Saffron Dickson's sister phoned her to tell her she was in labour, the 20-year-old thought she would be delivering her sibling to hospital - not delivering a baby.

But quick-thinking Saffron had to rely on what she had seen on EastEnders to play midwife to her baby niece, Maya, when she unexpectedly arrived just 15 minutes after sister Krystle's waters broke.

Saffron, from Tranent, was shocked when she found her sibling screaming on the landing of her Prestonpans home last Friday - with the baby's head already showing.

Realising that there was no time to get to the hospital, Saffron went into autopilot and racked her brain to remember what she had seen in soaps with a similar storyline.

She said: "I had absolutely no experience of this sort of thing, but I remember seeing a similar birth on EastEnders so I decided to just go with it.

"I rushed to get some towels, cushions and a basin of hot water. My sister was lying on the landing and I could tell there wasn't long to go. It was incredible because her waters only broke at 10.30am, but ten minutes later my sister was just about to give birth.

"Of course I panicked a little bit, but only for a wee minute. It was like a natural instinct kicked in."

Healthy mother and baby, along with proud dad, David Grant, were then taken to the ERI for a check-up, but everything was in order, and Saffron was praised for her actions.

Now new mum Krystle, 22, is thinking of giving Maya, who weighed 6lbs 9oz, the second name of Saffron in gratitude for her sister's actions.

But modest Saffron, who works in Whispers pub in Tranent, said: "I don't think I want her to do that. My sister has three other kids already and I don't want to be unfair to them. I'm just glad I could help and am so proud of my sister.

"Her partner, David, was in the house at the time on the phone to the paramedics, but I think he was a bit flabbergasted. He shouted through some instructions, such as telling me to hold the baby's head as it came out and not to pull her, but to ease her out.

"I also didn't cut the cord until the paramedics arrived, I just wrapped the baby in a big blanket and passed her to her mum. It was really a quite overwhelming experience."

And although Saffron enjoys working as a barmaid, she revealed that she might even look into a job as a nurse or midwife in future.

She laughed: "I don't see why not. I wasn't too fazed. We've been joking I might make a good midwife. It's certainly something to look into in future."

She added: "It was completely unexpected. My sister's other births took quite a long time, so we have no idea why she was so keen. She's gorgeous, though."