CHILDBIRTH has a reputation for being a long and painful process, but when little Hibrey Ainjel Cumming decided she wanted to enter the world, she was in too much of a hurry even to wait for the midwife.

Mum Lesley Coppen, 25, went into labour at 6.30am last Thursday - five weeks early.

But she and partner Jamie Cumming, 32, were so sure Hibrey was not on her way that they did not call their midwife straight away.

Once they realised it was time for the baby's arrival, it was too late for medical help to arrive.

Jamie, from Hamworthy, was left to deliver his daughter with the midwife giving instructions over the phone.

The Arsenal fan, who named his daughter an alternative spelling of his beloved team's home ground, said: "Lesley woke up at 6.30am with stomach pains.

"We didn't ring the midwife for ten to 15 minutes because we thought it was nothing.

"But by then the contractions were 40 seconds apart and the head was appearing so the midwife talked me through everything and the baby was born just after 7am.

"She was actually due on November 16.

"There were two other kids in the house as well - Lesley's other children AJ, six, and Courtney, eight."

After Hibrey was born, weighing a tiny 4lb 9oz, the couple went to Poole Maternity Hospital where the baby was put in an incubator as she was so premature.

She is now doing fine however, and is expected to return home next week.

Jamie, who has another son Harry, six, said: "All my mates were saying it must be life-changing but at the time I was so scared that something would go wrong.

"It was just so nerve-wracking but the midwife said I had to stay calm so that Lesley would stay calm and the baby wouldn't become distressed."

Lesley added: "I'm still reeling from it now. I've had two other births before with pain relief, so it was very different.

"It was painful, but it was over so quick - start to finish it was 40 minutes.

"It was so frightening not knowing what was going on, but Jamie was my rock.

"If he had fallen apart I don't know what would have happened, but Hibrey is beautiful."

First published: October 19