Mumbai potholes help deliver second baby in a month

Mumbai: While most citizens complain of aches and pains in their back owing to the potholed roads in Mumbai, there is one woman who was rid of her labour pain thanks to the bumpy ride.

On Wednesday morning, 22-year-old Paru Ratan Charan, a resident of Dudhnaka, Ulhasnagar, went into labour. She then immediately left for the hospital with a relative and found an auto at Swami Shanti Prakash Road.

"We were nearing Netaji Chowk and the road there is very bad and riddled with potholes. We went over four potholes and after the last one, Paru could not hold on any longer and gave birth in the auto itself," said Satish Koli, the auto driver. "Paru's relative held the baby, which was still connected to Paru through the umbilical cord and then we rushed to Central Maternity home at Ulhasnagar, Camp IV," added Koli.

Recounting the odd incident, Nitin Palekar, Paru's relative said, "Every time the auto went over a pothole, Paru would hold my hand. She was afraid that she would give birth to the baby right then. Even the auto driver did his best and would slow down over the potholes but his efforts were all in vain. She finally gave birth to a baby girl and then we went to the maternity home to cut the umbilical cord."

Pothole delivery
The doctors at the maternity home where Paru is now resting said that the bumpy ride helped Paru in giving birth to the child. "The pothole-ridden ride helped build pressure on the womb and Paru was able to give birth without putting much pressure," said Dr Narsingh Ingale, head at Central Maternity Home. He added that they had cut the umbilical cord of the baby. "The baby is healthy at 2.5 kg and both mother and child are now stable."

Unexpected joys
Interestingly, this is not the first time that a woman has given birth to a baby in a rickshaw. This is the third such incident where a woman has delivered due to potholes on the road in Ulhasnagar.

In October 2011, Rekha Chaudhari delivered a baby at Subhash Tekdi Road due to potholes and in June 2012, Sangita Salve delivered a baby in an auto due to the potholes.