Mum’s delight over Amber’s rare birth in amniotic sac

Mum’s delight over Amber’s rare birth in amniotic sac

16 October 2019

BALLYKINLAR mum Hannah Lucas is celebrating a particularly rare birth after her baby daughter was born, still enclosed its protective amniotic sac.

Gorgeous baby Amber came into the world at Lisburn’s Lagan Valley Hospital last Thursday at 8.30pm with her very rare birth — believed to happen only once in a 100,000 deliveries  — seen as a sign of great luck.

Unfortunately the moment — one not often seen by even the most experienced of midwives — was not captured on camera by Hannah’s partner Tommy Warnock or his sister Megan who was also at the birth.

Hannah, who already is mum to daughter Charlotte Warnock (seven), said she had Amber completely naturally and just needed a bit of gas and air to help with the labour. 

“I just sort of breathed her out really. It was crazy. Amber was born in her whole sac,” she continued.

“I did what the midwives told me to do because she was in the water [the sac]. I was already in early labour when I went for a hospital appointment but while they wanted me to stay, I said that I would rather go back home as I wanted to do everything as natural.

“They advised me not to come back in until my waters broke but they didn’t break. I came back around 6.30pm and Amber was born two hours later. My sister-in-law Megan says that she saw Amber inside the sac and moving around and I think the midwives had to pop the sac.”

The 28 year-old was one day overdue when she gave birth to Amber who weighed in at 7lbs 4ozs.

Hannah added: “The midwife said it was absolutely unbelievable and the staff got other midwives in to have a look as the birth was so rare and caused such excitement. The birth was just perfect and Amber was perfect. The staff themselves couldn’t believe it happened.”

Megan, who will be godmother to the new baby, says she was honoured to have been at the birth.

“It was just amazing and I can’t stop talking about it,” said the mother of two.

“I saw Amber moving about in what looked like a balloon for about a minute after she was born.

“I called Tommy over to have a look but he was a bit nervous about it but I couldn’t stop looking. The midwife had to break the sac but Amber also seemed to reach out at the same time with her hand. It was just so special to see.”

Amber, who is now six days old and is thriving well, is one of a number of famous people down through the centuries who share this honour of being born in the ‘caul’ — the thin membrane which covers the baby and its amniotic fluid.

Emperors and leaders such Alexander the Great, King Charlemagne, Napoleon, the poet Lord Byron and father of modern psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, and the late flamboyant entertainer Liberace, are all reputed to have been born this way.

Seen in many cultures as portentously lucky if born “with a veil over the face”, the child is meant to have a lifelong affinity with water.

A spokesperson for South Eastern Trust which manages the Lagan Valley hospital, confirmed the auspicious delivery.

“This patient laboured naturally and her waters remained unbroken so as a result the baby was born in the amniotic sac. This is known as a ‘caul’ and is very rare, happening in one in every 80,000 to 100,000 births. It is also said to be very lucky.”

The Trust’s lead midwife, Pamela Redmond, added: “During labour in our Lagan Valley midwifery led unit, this lady was supported by experienced midwives who are experts in normality.”