Earlier this year Laura Mullen (40) from Newcastle between Moynalty and Baileborough spoke of the incredible moment her little girl made a surprise appearance after her shocked mum was sent home from the hospital who told her that she was not in labour.

Christmas Cheer: ‘We're so blessed to have our Rainbow Baby’

Published: Wed 23 Dec 2020, 4:00 PM

A NEWCASTLE mum who gave birth to her “rainbow” baby girl in a car on the side of the road in August says she is looking forward to her first Christmas as a family of four.

Earlier this year Laura Mullen (40) from Newcastle between Moynalty and Baileborough spoke of the incredible moment her little girl made a surprise appearance after her shocked mum was sent home from the hospital who told her that she was not in labour.

Laura described how contractions began when she pulled into her driveway and despite and her fiancé Richard Byrne’s frantic attempt to get back to the hospital the baby wasn’t waiting around and the couple had to pull over on the side of the road where proud dad Richard (36) dashed to the passenger side just in time to deliver his new born baby daughter.

The elated mum admitted “having no time to think” before precious little Aoife Margaret Anne Byrne “popped out” and made her grand entrance into the world on the passenger seat of the couple’s Volvo V50 R Design on the Athboy Road in Navan just off the M3 Roundabout on 6th August.

Laura Mullen and Richard Byrne with Ryan (4) and his baby sister Aoife. PHOTO: SEAMUS FARRELLY.

Laura also mum to Ryan (4) suffered three heart-breaking miscarriages before the birth of her daughter who she calls her ‘Rainbow Baby.”

Now the proud mum of two says she no longer relives those pregnancy losses now that her family is “complete.” She added:

"It seems crazy when I look back on the birth, I don't know how we got through it, there just wasn't time to think!

“Aoife is four months now and she is flying, she is sleeping ten hours in a row at night so I’m blessed really.

“We are really looking forward to this Christmas more so for Ryan that he will get to share Santa Claus with another sibling because I grew up with six of us running down the stairs in the middle of the night waiting to see what Santy brought us and sharing what we got.

“I can’t wait to get the tree and see what she thinks of it all.

“When I had the miscarriages I could be driving down the road a year later and I could literally relive the moment but as soon as Aoife came along that stopped.

“I don’t relive the miscarriages anymore but I do relive giving birth in the car, I don’t think I’ll ever forget that!”

Speaking on the whirlwind birth at the time she said:

“We got through the toll at Navan North and I could feel her moving down and I said this baby is coming now, you are going to have to catch her.

“Richard pulled over and literally jumped out of the car, ran around to my side and reclined my seat back.

“My legs were on the dash and as I was taking my pyjama bottoms off, her head was already coming out, the next contraction came and she just popped out!