Enroute to Young Hospital for the birth of their fifth child Jugiong residents Shiralee and Matthew Chilton knew they were running out of time.

After calling the ambulance and letting them know the situation the couple made a quick detour to Harden.

“Everything happened so quickly,” Shiralee said.

“I was feeling great when I went to bed on Sunday evening but was woken at around 11.15pm with pains, so I had a shower and after that my waters broke.”

The couple left for Young at around 11.30pm and between Jugiong and Harden Shiralee knew the labour wasn’t going to last long.

“We called the ambulance and they told us to meet them at Harden and they would inform staff we were on our way,” she said.

“By the time we got into Harden it was only another 15 or 20 minutes before the baby arrived.”

Isabella Margaret Gay Chilton was delivered by three experienced nursing staff and Doctor Raoof at 12.11am on Monday February 8.

Harden Hospital registered nurse Eleanor Ashton, who is also a trained midwife, said the whole experience was very exciting.

“I got a call in the middle of the night to come into the hospital as there were a couple making a detour from Jugiong to Young because the baby wasn’t going to wait,” Mrs Ashton said.

“They arrived at the hospital in full labour and it wasn’t long before the baby was born.

“We had Doctor Raoof and three nursing staff on hand plus an ambulance crew also there.”

“There were no complications with the birth and everything went very smoothly.”

Proud dad Matthew said his newborn daughter was in a hurry to get into the world.

“She’s just beautiful,” he said.

“We really want to thank the staff so much, they were so great, we honestly couldn’t have asked for better.”

Both mum and baby were given the all clear and taken by ambulance to Young Hospital.

Matthew and Shiralee have since returned home to Jugiong with Isabella where she met her four older brothers and sister.