Baby born 39,000 ft over the Atlantic

Press, 29 December 1988, Page 9

Baby born 39,000 ft over the Atlantic

NZPA-AAP London A British Airways trans-Atlantic flight gained an extra passenger at 39,000 ft with the torch-lit delivery of a premature baby girl. The co-pilot of the Boeing 747 on a flight from Barbados to Gatwick, Nick Eades, acted as midwife to Maureen Capaldi, who lives in London. While the plane diverted to Shannon Airport near Limerick in south-western Ireland, Mrs Capaldi gave birth to I.7kg Catherine Faye, who was two months early but a belated Christmas present on Boxing Day. “It was getting a bit panicky and I went to give reassurance convinced that the birth was not going to take place,” Mr Eades told “The Times.” Mrs Capaldi was 31 weeks pregnant — one week inside the recommended limit for air travellers — but went into labour

three hours after take-off. “By the time I got there, it was all happening,” Mr Eades said. “The head was already out. When the contractions stopped, the baby was there. It was really a do-it-yourself birth.” Mrs Capaldi and Catherine were taken to St Munchin’s maternity hospital in Limerick where mother and daughter were said to be well. Mr Eades said he attended the birth of his own son 10 weeks ago where he cut the umbilical cord, but decided not to do the same this time. It was half-an-hour before Catherine breathed unaided. “We thought the little mite wasn’t going to make it,” he said. Mrs Capaldi’s husband, Franco, was present throughout, holding his wife’s hand.