Horsham parents reunite with SECAmb clinicians after emergency home birth

New parents Kira and Dan, from Horsham, have been reunited with the SECAmb clinicians who helped deliver their first baby during an emergency home birth and treated a serious postpartum complication that followed.

Now five-month-old, Rosie, was delivered safely at the couple’s home in Horsham in the evening of Monday, 22 September 2025 after a 999 call was made when Kira’s contractions suddenly became frequent.

Emergency Medical Advisor, Kelly Little, picked up the call and began talking Kira and Dan through what to do while help was on the way. 

Paramedic, Ben Hemmings, and Trainee Associate Ambulance Practitioner (TAAP), Kasey Tullet, arrived first on scene closely followed by Critical Care Paramedic (CCP), Lee Davis and Newly Qualified Paramedic (NQP), Megan Brown - some of the team that helped deliver baby Rosie and who the family reunited with alongside Kelly recently at SECAmb’s Gatwick Make Ready Centre.

“When we arrived, it was clear the baby was coming quickly, so our focus was on supporting Kira and Dan and making sure everything stayed as calm as possible,” Ben said. “Rosie arrived safely and did really well which was incredibly positive. This was the first birth I attended so it was extra special to see how they’re all getting on only five months later.”

Although Rosie was safely delivered, Kira began to bleed heavily, and the team needed to act quickly to get her to hospital for further care.

Lee said: “Postpartum haemorrhage can happen unexpectedly, so it was important we treated Kira promptly and transferred her to hospital as soon as it was safe to do so.”

Postpartum haemorrhage accounts for around seven per cent of maternal deaths in the UK and can occur suddenly, even after an otherwise straightforward delivery, making rapid recognition and treatment critical.

SECAmb Consultant Midwife Dawn Kerslake said: “Although postpartum haemorrhage is rare, it is a very serious condition that can become life-threatening if not treated quickly. Our clinicians are highly trained to recognise the signs and act immediately, providing urgent care and arranging safe transfer to hospital. This fast response can make all the difference.”

Kira said: “It wasn’t how we expected our first birth to go, but everyone was so calm and reassuring and we couldn’t have asked for a better team. We felt so supported throughout, and we’re incredibly grateful for the care we received.”

Dan added: “From the moment we called 999, everyone was so professional and kind. Meeting the team again and being able to say thank you properly meant a lot to us.”

Kira and Dan have been adjusting to new-born life and enjoying their time as a now family of three and were delighted they got to introduce Rosie to the team that helped bring her into the world.

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