'I gave birth in my bathroom on my own - my husband didn't have a clue'

A mum-of-five was in for a shock when her baby daughter arrived at lightning speed, meaning she ended up giving birth alone in the bathroom without her husband even realising

A woman has shared how she gave birth alone on her bathroom floor, without her husband even realising.

Teagan Swoboda began experiencing contractions at 5:45 am on August 11, 2024 - little did she know how quickly her baby would arrive.

After timing her contractions in the bathroom, Teagan, 36, waiting 15 minutes before waking her husband Tony Swoboda. She explained: "I was thinking that if it was going to be a long day I wanted him to be rested."

Tony, 41, headed downstairs to set up the equipment for what they'd assumed would be a water birth, with Teagan calling him at around 6:30 am to let him know that things were 'happening fast'.

Unfortunately, as he was busily setting up the pool, Tony didn't hear Teagan calling. Just six minutes later, Teagan gave birth to their baby daughter Elliot in her bathroom, all by herself.

Teagan, from Wasilla, Alaska, recalled: "I couldn't even get to the bathtub in front of me - I struggled walking. I gave birth to her on my own which was terrifying. I was trying to catch her head and hold an arm. I held her head and hooked my arm under her armpit.

"When she came out I laid her down on the toilet to pick her up. I laid her on me, she cried and I rubbed her back - I was just staring at her, it was like time stood still."

A few minutes later, Tony rushed upstairs to inform his wife the pool was ready, but after entering the bathroom, he realised he was too late. Professional nurse Teagan remembered: "I didn't have time to process it, I was in shock. My husband came upstairs when the bath was ready, he walked into the bathroom and saw that my water had broken.

"He got a little lightheaded and said everything was ready - I said, 'Yeah great, but look what I have got'. He was in absolute shock."

To Tony's amazement, baby Elliot, their first daughter, had already arrived, weighing 8lb 8oz. The proud mum continued: "I sat there with her and he got our boys so they could meet her. We waited until the midwife came and got into bed - we were able to stay home."

Teagan, who is also mum to Alexander, 16, Brayden, 13, Colby, 10, and Delfin, two, discovered she was pregnant in December 2023. The happy news came as a shock to her and Tony, who hadn't been trying for a fifth child. According to Teagan, this was her most difficult pregnancy, and she struggled with morning sickness and pain as her time drew near.

The mum-of-five revealed: "Towards the end, I was in a lot of pain, I felt like she was in an uncomfortable position. I had very bad morning sickness in the beginning which I didn't have with my boys. We didn't find out the gender until she was born so I would joke that she had to be a girl because my boys would never treat me this way."

According to Teagan, Elliot is 'perfect' and is just as 'sweet' as her four big brothers. She shared: "She is perfect, she is so sweet - just as sweet as the boys just pink. It was so different for them to change the pronouns, they were used to saying 'he' and 'buddy' which is cute. They are all such good brothers, they appreciate how little she is and every noise Elliot makes."

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