It was a normal evening at home in Primrose on July 30 for the Mutswagiwa family.
Linda, who was 42 weeks pregnant, was starting to prepare dinner for her family at about 5.30pm after having done some shopping during the afternoon before fetching her daughters Keisha (11) and Kimberley (8) from aftercare.
“I had felt fine the whole day,” she said.
“Then as I was preparing dinner the pains started.
“I thought it was probably Braxton Hicks contractions, so didn’t really think too much about it.”
Linda’s baby was overdue at 42 weeks and she had been advised to go to the hospital for either an induction or a caesarean section.
“I am terrified of needles and scalpels after a previous operation on my leg and I decided I would rather wait for a normal delivery,” said Linda.
However, as the labour pains steadily increased, Linda started to realise the baby was going to be born.
“I contacted my husband Frederick and let him know that I was experiencing strong pains.
“He works in Pretoria and normally gets home at about 7.30pm, so I thought it would be fine and he would get home in time to take me to hospital.”
By 6.55pm Linda decided to contact an ambulance.
“Then at about 7.40pm I stood up to get some water and I could sense that I was fully dilated, so I sent the girls to our landlord Pat Pillay and told them to stay there as I didn’t want them to see the birth.
“Frederick was still not home.
“I took a blanket and prepared myself in my bedroom,” Linda said.
“I could feel that I wanted to push.
“Freddie kept saying I must wait for him and I really did not believe the baby would come so quickly.”
The landlord contacted the Primrose CPF on the street groups and within a few minutes Greg Soares (deputy chairperson), Crystal Bredenhan and Wesley Warren arrived at the house.
“We rushed to the house and while we were waiting for the paramedics to arrive, the baby was born,” said Greg.
Luckily Frederick made it home five minutes before baby Kaylee came into the world.
He told the GCN he was trying to get back from Rosslyn in Pretoria as quickly as possible, while sticking to the speed limit, but that day there was an accident on the R21 and another at Gillooly’s Interchange, which held up the traffic.
“I don’t know why it had to be that day,” Frederick said.
“We were so lucky to have the Primrose CPF members there,” said Linda.
“They clamped the umbilical cord and wrapped Kaylee and when the paramedics arrived she was so peaceful.”
Frederick said the family would be forever grateful to the Primrose CPF members who assisted them that night.
“Crystal was especially wonderful.
“She calmed us down, I think we needed someone like her there,” said Frederick.
“They were all so helpful and even came back a few days later to visit and bring presents for Kaylee.
“I am also grateful to Netcare 911 and other paramedics who attended.”
Linda and Kaylee were transported to Bertha Gxowa Hospital and both given a clean bill of health, with Kaylee weighing 3.71kg.
After a night in hospital they were discharged.
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“It really was more than a drama,” Linda said.
“I didn’t know what to do and was so scared.
“My plan was to go to hospital and do everything there.”
Linda and Frederick told the GCN Kaylee is a beautiful, peaceful baby who does not cry often, but her sisters disagree and said although they love her she does cry too much sometimes.
“We are very happy to have a sister though,” they said.
Greg told the GCN they were pleased to have been able to assist the family.
“We thank them for giving us our first Primrose CPF baby,” he said.
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