I knew coming to teach in South Africa would enable me to have some terrific memories and exciting experiences, but I never thought that I'd end up delivering a baby on the side of the road in one of Knysna's townships!

Last Thursday, the 30th March 2006, I finished school early at noon, so I decided to take a local minibus taxi back to the volunteer house. About a minute into the ride, a heavily pregnant woman got on, with a 1 year old child strapped to her back. She was talking quite quickly, in Xhosa, and the driver explained that she was in labour and was going to take her to the hospital. My first reaction was Oh, I hope she's ok?, but as another minute went by, and she yelled at the driver to stop, I thought 'Oh no, she's going to have the baby now!!!'

We stopped at the side of the road and she handed me her, now screaming, baby that was on her back. The two other men stayed inside the taxi. I got out along with the driver and watched her lay down. We were in a really remote area of the township, and no-one was coming out of their shacks. She then lifted her skirt and I could immediately tell that she was fully dilated! I started panicking when the driver told me that I would have to deliver the baby. A woman eventually emerged from her shack and saw what was going on. She disappeared and came back moments later with a bowl of water, many towels and a pair of scissors and I thought, 'Finally, someone who knows what they are doing!', but as she started talking to the driver in Xhosa again, he told me that the 'new' woman would look after the mother and that I would STILL have to deliver the child. With my mouth wide open in shock, I tried to explain that I was, by no means qualified or capable of doing this. I'm not even allowed into a store with glass in it, unless my hands are firmly in my pockets due to clumsiness, let alone deliver a baby! They've got the wrong doctor!!!

But as the woman screamed and I saw under her skirt that the head was crowning, I automatically dropped to my knees and put the other baby down, and tried desperately to remember everything I had seen on TV shows, like E.R. and others. The taxi driver, who did an excellent job translating, told her that I wanted her to push, and she did. By now I had lots of towels on me and the other woman started pouring warm water over the patients belly, although I'm not sure why. An older lady came over and sang to the mother and held her hand, leaving me to focus on delivering, a baby.

When she pushed, half of the head came out, and I started crying, along with the mother and her other baby. I asked her to push again and she shook her head, but I was worried it couldn't breathe in the vaginal canal, and not knowing any medical details, I begged her to push again. This time she pushed the baby out to its shoulders, and I could see how this widest part of the baby was hurting her. Another push got the baby to its waist and that's when I noticed that it wasn't crying. I didn't know if this was normal, but I gave her time to rest. In one hand I held the baby in a towel, while the other felt around inside her. By this time I had blood and 'gunk' all over me, but all I could think of, was that this baby't know if I would have to pull it out or it would just 'pop; out!

So much was going on that it was hard to focus'. Not to mention that I had the song 'Baby Love' by Diane Ross going on replay in my head. I kept trying to think 'What comes next' What do I do now??, but all I could think back to was an old episode of 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air' when Will Smith delivered a baby in the back of a limousine, so I changed my line of thinking to, 'What would Will Smith do'?

When she finally said she's give a last push, I prepared for the whole baby to come out. With that last big push, I was crying as well, as I suddenly had this beautiful, messy little boy in my hands! I started to panic when it didn't cry and I didn't know whether or not to smack it to make it cry? but thankfully it let out a wail shortly afterward and I breathed a sigh of relief!!

I know in the movies, they had to get the mucous out of the nose and mouth, but I didn't have the utensils, so I got a corner of a towel and got out as much as possible. I started wiping the baby off and realised how messy everything was. The woman, who helped me, brought her scissors out and started to cut at the umbilical cord. Throughout the whole delivery I hadn't been too freaked out by all that had gone on, but I had to turn my head at this!

Once she was finished, I remembered that the mother would now have to push out the placenta, and while still holding the baby, I told her to push again, and as exhausted as she was, she did. The older woman took it away and I still don't know what happened to it, but I don't think I really want to know!!

I offered the baby to the mother, but she was too tired to even hold it, so I started staring at this bundle of new life and started crying even more. When I eventually did pass the baby to her, she pointed that she wanted to feed him. I didn't think that you were supposed to do that for hours, but I helped her put the baby to her breast. I then returned to her other child, who was still crying, and took a look at my surroundings. I couldn't believe it!!

I asked the driver to ask the mother what she would name him, suggesting 'Polly' as a joke, but she just laughed and said 'Dumsani'.

About half an hour went by, and we eventually convinced her to go to the hospital to get checked out. Once there, the nurse took the newborn and put the mother in a wheelchair. I had her other child, now asleep in my arms, and asked if I should stay, but the nurse said it would be better if I left. The mother kept stroking my hand and face, saying 'Thank you, thank you'. She said something else in Xhosa to me and the driver explained that she was saying, 'You're my angel, You're my angel', something I will never forget.

When I left the hospital, I sat dumfounded in the car. The driver said to me that I was told to deliver the baby because I was white and they thought I would know what I was doing. Still surprised, he told me I had done well, and that I wouldn't have to pay the 50p for the taxi ride!!!! Cheers!

Looking back, I cannot believe what had happened. I realise now that I actually knew more about delivery than I had at first anticipated and a lot of it comes down purely, to woman's instinct. I am so proud of the fact that I didn't bail out when faced with the situation, and that all went well.

This is something one doesn't expect to do in a lifetime, never mind on a voluntary placement in South Africa. It's an amazing story to tell, and a memory that I will have with me forever.

And the best thing of all, is that when people ask how my trip went, I can nonchalantly say, 'Well, I rode a camel, taught kids for 4 months, met incredible people and ..oh yeah,delivered a baby on the side of a dusty, township road!!!!!!'


By Polly Aked, Travellers Worldwide teaching volunteer.