When a woman was struck by labour pains along a road in Malaysia, a group of passers-by helped her give birth there and then, using shoelaces to cut the umbilical cord.
A video of the incident was uploaded to TikTok, showing several women delivering the baby behind umbrellas put up as a makeshift shelter.
The user who posted the video told Malaysian news portal WeirdKaya that the incident took place on Sunday (10 Aug) at a road junction in Pasir Gudang, near Johor Bahru.
The woman had been riding pillion on a motorcycle with her husband, and waiting at a red light, when she had to lie down on the road due to labour pains.
The first person to help was a woman in a black shirt who comforted the woman but was unsure of what to do next.
After a few people declined to help, an Indian woman on her way to the temple stopped to assist.
Her husband reportedly called for more people to help, at which point the original poster (OP), who was in her car, was also enlisted.
Those who helped placed umbrellas to shield the woman from the rain and give her some privacy. Others directed traffic around the scene.
Source: @umisyarifahshop on TikTok
By the time she got there, the OP could see that the baby was already halfway out, she said.
She and the Indian lady eventually helped pull the baby out.
Source: @umisyarifahshop on TikTok
The OP said she held the baby while its umbilical cord was still attached and the placenta had not yet been ejected.
This required the new mother to push it out, suffering more blood loss.
The women thus gave her a sweet drink as they were worried she would faint.
As the cord was still attached and no scissors were available, they had to improvise on the spot, using a food delivery rider’s shoelaces to sever the umbilical cord by tying them tightly around it.
Source: @umisyarifahshop on TikTok
In her caption, she thanked all the women who helped deliver the baby, including those who offered towels and headscarves to them.
An ambulance reportedly arrived 30 minutes after the baby was born.
By then, the passers-by had done all they could.
According to the OP, the mother contacted her from the hospital, saying both she and the newborn were safe.
Though she and the baby were still separated as she is ungoing check-ups, the baby is doing well.
Also read: Mother-in-law in Indonesia berates daughter-in-law for taking too long to give birth
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Featured image adapted from @umisyarifahshop on TikTok.