A CALDICOT woman has given birth to a baby boy in the care home where she works - with a little help from the home's manager.

Sarah Woodman, 27, of Pill Rowe, gave birth to Jacob Mathew Atkins, weighing 7lb 9oz, in the lounge of the Cherry Tree Care Home in Caldicot on September 17. Gill Jones, the manager of the care home, helped to deliver Miss Woodman's second child after the domestic assistant went into labour a day before she was due to be induced.

The mother of two started receiving contractions between six to eight minutes at her home which quickly became three minutes apart.

Miss Woodman, said: "It was quite traumatic. I got my mum got down here and my partner left work in Magor to pick us up.

“We were on our way past the Cherry Tree and mum asked if we should stop and get a nurse. We carried on but by the time we got to Rogiet I knew something was happening and I needed to push. My partner quickly turned us round and went to the Cherry Tree."

Luckily Ms Jones, who has worked at the home for the past 22 years is a former nurse and was on hand to deliver the baby.

She said: "I've never done midwifery before but I've had a baby of my own. I went with my instincts and kept calm, it was only afterwards I thought what if.

"It will stay with me forever. All the residents were really excited."

The birth lasted around 20 minutes and Jacob was born around 1.40pm while residents of the home were having lunch.

Miss Woodman said: "The birth is all a bit fuzzy and I can't remember much of what was going on. I think it took about 20 minutes after I arrived at the Cherry Tree, my waters broke while I was there.

"It was slightly embarrassing but I wouldn't have made it any different, the staff were amazing. I couldn't have done it without Gill - I wouldn't have made it to the hospital I think I probably would have had to give birth in Magor services."

Mother and baby were taken by ambulance to the Royal Gwent Hospital and kept overnight as a precaution but are now both doing well. The care home will be recorded as the place of birth on Jacob’s birth certificate.

Miss Woodman said: “I think my partner was pretty shaken by it as we had arranged to be induced on the Thursday. We had it all planned - I had bought a new nighty and Bruno Mars was going to be playing in the background, it was going to be perfect.

“Jacob is a lovely, hungry little boy he loves to be cwtched. He's been passed around the staff here already. We will be part of the cherry Tree for life.”