A COUPLE told today how their first child was born in a London hotel bathroom after they were turned away from a leading hospital.
George Reggie Eades was delivered by his father four hours after a midwife at University College Hospital told his mother, Michelle Booth, that she "wasn't in full labour".
Instead of going home, Ms Booth checked in to the Radisson Edwardian, Grafton over the road, took two paracetamol, closed the curtains and listened to hypnotherapy CDs with partner Richard Eades.
Their son was attended to by seven paramedics after the birth and later given the middle name "Reg" after the first letters of the hotel's name.
When Ms Booth's contractions began at 9.30am on March 15, the couple got a taxi from their Hackney home to UCH in Bloomsbury, where she was due to give birth. But at 10.30am she was told she was not ready. Ms Booth, 39, said: "I was looked over by the midwife, who said I wasn't dilated enough and to come back when I was in full labour.
"They said I was in the early stages of labour, but it felt a lot further on.Basically, they said there was nowhere for us to go in the hospital.
"I couldn't face the journey back down the Euston Road and then over all the speed bumps."
Mr Eades, 45, said his partner was "in a lot of pain" and as the contractions became more intense he looked for somewhere to sit it out. Their closest option was a £150-a-night room at the four-star hotel.
Ms Booth said: "All the staff were brilliant and upgraded us and we joked about room service, and promising them we won't have a baby."
As she buried her head in a duvet to muffle her screams, Mr Eades was told by a midwife on the phone that it was "still early days". The couple also used hypnobirthing techniques learned in UCH sessions for first-time mothers. Ms Booth said: "I was making quite a lot of noise and was worried about getting thrown out of the hotel. At 2.30pm, I was in the bathroom and I had the urge to push, but thought it couldn't be the baby. The baby came and Richard caught him. We were completely elated and there were a few tears." Mr Eades said: "I phoned reception and said, 'This is room 239, we've just had a baby, would you kindly send some paramedics'."
The duty manager was followed by a paramedic on a bicycle, two ambulances and another six paramedics.
After the umbilical cord was cut, the 8lb 8oz baby and his parents were driven to UCH. George developed an infection but was discharged about a week later.
Mr Eades, a sound engineer, said: "The paramedics were amazing and hotel staff were great, too. I went back with chocolates as thanks; the manager was very sweet and didn't charge any extra cleaning costs."
Neil Duffen, general manager of the Radisson Blu Edwardian, Grafton, said staff were honoured that George's name was an acknowledgement of his parents' stay and looked forward to welcoming them back soon.
Pat O'Brien, the hospital trust's clinical director for women's health, said: "The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists advises that any woman assessed to be in the very early stages of labour, and who is giving birth for the first time, is advised to go home until labour is more advanced, keeping in contact with the hospital by phone to advise on progress. This is perfectly normal."