Baby Born 15 Feet Up in Dramatic Coastguard Helicopter Delivery!
Labour Takes to the Skies Over Isles of Scilly
Jennifer Trevithick was just supposed to be flown from the Isles of Scilly to Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro for childbirth. But in a twist straight out of a movie, baby boy Ebbyn made his grand entrance mid-flight on December 4th!
Jen, a brewer on St Mary’s Island, began contractions around 9pm and headed to the island’s birth centre with her partner Hayden. But when her waters broke and the midwife spotted meconium, things escalated quickly. An emergency call sent a Coastguard helicopter from Newquay to airlift her to hospital.
Mid-Air Miracle: Baby Ebbyn Born on Board
Despite only a 25-minute flight, Jen knew her baby was coming fast. Around halfway through, the tiny head started to crown.
“All I could think was this baby’s coming, and there is no way of stopping it,” Jen recalled. “I was in such a birthing bubble. I knew what was happening but couldn’t talk. I felt no fear — just that my body was doing exactly what it needed to do.”
Onboard the helicopter, a medic and midwife provided top-notch care. Hovering just 15ft above the hospital helipad, Ebbyn was born shortly after 2am.
A Surreal Yet Joyful Arrival
“It was such a surreal experience, but pretty fun in a way,” Jen added. “At the end I was holding Ebbyn but couldn’t quite work out where we were or what was happening.”
Ebbyn joins a select group – he’s the third baby from Scilly to be born on a Coastguard helicopter. Jen’s previous pregnancy also involved a helicopter ride, but she never imagined she’d actually give birth mid-air.
“Being flown to hospital for childbirth isn’t unheard of here, so we assumed births in the air happen all the time,” she laughed.
Healthy Baby and Grateful Mum Looks Ahead
Ebbyn is healthy and thriving, and Jen is excited to return to her Coastguard role next year.
“The whole time I felt so safe. When you hear that helicopter sound, you know someone’s heading to top-level care. It’s a positive sound,” she said. “If it wasn’t for the Coastguard, we wouldn’t have this amazing story to tell. We’re so grateful to everyone involved.”
