A PROUD Crecora father- of- four was pushed into unexpected labour intensive duties when called upon to deliver his 7lb 13 oz baby daughter in the family home.
PJ Hennessy and Carla Walsh knew that baby Shannon Jade was due to arrive anytime, but neither of them expected she would be in such a hurry.
“We had no notice at all,” PJ told the Limerick Post.
“Carla had no labour pains but the baby’s foot was on her rib cage so she went to take a bath. She called me to the bathroom and her waters broke. I called an ambulance but there was no time, the baby just arrived so I had to deal with it”.
Carla was few days past her due-date when the birth happened, “he was fantastic”
PJ. said that when the baby was delivered, he didn’t cut the cord. “I remembered seeing a programme about it and it said it wasn’t necessary to cut it so I thought I’d leave that to the ambulance crew”.
The modest dad said that Carla “was fantastic. She was pure calm”.
He described the experience of delivering his own child as “amazing”.
The manager of the Stone-age garden centre in Crecora, PJ says he has been getting a fierce ribbing ever since the bundle of delight arrived.
“Pregnant ladies who come in to the centre tell their husbands they’ll be in good hands – that I deliver babies as well as garden ornaments”.
Mum Carla and the new arrival are now happily back home in Crecora with the couple’s other children, Ethan (10), Holly (6) and Serena (15 months).
PJ Hennessy and Carla Walsh relaxing with their children Serena, Ethan, Holy
and recently arrived baby Shannon after the shock of a home birth at their Crecora Home. Picture: Keith Wiseman
