Sergeant Mandy Hilton-Petersen helped deliver the baby of a scared mother who walked into the Maitland police station in Cape Town after her water broke.
Sergeant Mandy Hilton-Petersen was on duty at the Maitland Community Service Centre (CSC) on Friday, 24 March 2017, in Cape Town when a distressed and scared woman walked in, she was in the process of giving birth as her water had broken and she was in full-swing labour.
Sergeant Mandy is a mother of two boys and said even though she had no training, her motherly instincts kicked in and she was able to assist the expecting mother.
“I told myself I had to stay calm because I was so nervous, but I wanted the baby to survive. My motherly instincts just kicked in and I knew I had to deliver the baby,”
“I had to perform the duties of a midwife as I helped the mother to an office. I told her to breathe as I helped her lie down, and she said she could feel the baby coming,”
The officer had called for emergency medical services (EMS), so while she helped the mother through the stressful encounter she waited for the services to arrive. The baby started crowning by the time EMS arrived. They used a shoelace to tie off the umbilical cord.
“We delivered a beautiful baby boy and I told the mother to breast feed as I laid the little one on her chest.”
The new mother and baby were transported to a nearby hospital and are believed to be doing very well.
Maitland Community Policing Forum chairperson Justin Kumlehn said that the community was really happy and proud to have Sergeant Mandy Hilton-Peterson as part of the Community Service Centre team.
“On behalf of the community we congratulate the sergeant, who received a surprise at the CSC while on duty on Friday. This was not your everyday complaint and we thank her for showing the community that there is more to SAPS than meets the eye,”
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