BORN IN A BAKKIE

This mom wanted a quick-and-easy natural delivery with her second child. But she wasn’t planning on a drive-through!

- MARGOT BERTELSMANN

Pretoria couple Annandé, an attorney, and Gavin van der Merwe, a civil engineer, have two small children: Annabelle, 3 years old, and baby Kenneth, who is 10 months old. Annabelle was born in a hospital – and Kenneth was born, well, outside a hospital. Here’s how that happened…

Like many first-time mothers, Annandé relied on her gynaecologist during her first pregnancy for advice and information. She felt she’d like to experience the female rite of passage of a natural vaginal delivery. This instinct was not something she believes her (male) gynaecologist could understand. “When I told my doctor I’d been researching natural delivery options such as hypnobirthing, he asked me why I didn’t want to enjoy my delivery. He said it was extremely painful and that I should consider an epidural. What did I know at the time? I thought that sounded reasonable.”

At 39 weeks and four days, on a Thursday, Annandé and Gavin had a consultation with their doctor, who said he noted some calcification of the placenta. He suggested they do an induction that very evening in order to deliver the baby the next day. Despite her reservations, Annandé agreed. Unfortunately, she proceeded to have a traumatic birth: