A mum who gave birth home alone in the bath in just three minutes has spoken of her shock at it all.
Kat Smith, 36, told The Sun that four days before her due date she had gotten into the bath to relax - only to get out with a baby.
"I couldn't believe it," she said.
"There was no pain at all, just a bit of pressure and suddenly my baby was in the bath with me."
Smith, who has two older sons, said that she had been preparing for a tough birth, as her previous labours had been awful. Her first son was born in 15 hours and her second took 18 hours to arrive.
"I never believed it could be possible to give birth so quickly and with no pain. It's like it never even happened," she said.
The mum of three, who is from Gloucester in the UK, said that she had been surprised to learn she was pregnant in the first place: she and her husband had been using condoms as she had applied to become an egg donor, so when she started to feel unwell she dismissed it as a virus.
However, when Smith realised her period was late she did a test and discovered she was already 12 weeks pregnant.
"It was a surprise, we wanted to help childless couples but ended up pregnant ourselves but we were both thrilled," she said.
Smith was at work in a local childcare centre four days before her due date when she felt a "niggling" sensation in her groin.
"I'd felt similar sensations when I woke that morning and told my husband to keep his phone with him at work in case, but I thought it was to be expected as I was nearing my due date.
"I certainly wasn't in any pain. I knew that my labour would take so long anyway that I wasn't worried."
She left work at 10.45am and felt more niggles on her way home.
"I wondered if things were starting to happen. But I knew there was no point going to hospital because I'd have hours and hours ahead of me yet and likely be sent home," she recalled.
She decided to run a relaxing bath and sent her friend a text message inviting her round.
Smith got into the bath at 11.05am and just five minutes later she felt a strong urge to push.
"There had still been absolutely no pain, I just felt a pressure down below and a need to push. My body just took over and pushed."
To her utter amazement the baby's head then appeared between her legs.
"I hadn't felt a thing. I couldn't believe it. I grabbed the phone and rang my husband and told him, 'The head's out!' He said he would ring the ambulance for me."
After hanging up she felt the urge to push again and moments later baby Ryder was born into the water.
"I scooped him up and saw the cord was wrapped twice around his neck, so I undid it and cuddled him into me to keep him warm. He let out a cry so I knew he was okay."
Her friend arrived and walked into the house to see Smith in the bath holding her newborn. "We just looked at each other in shock. Neither of us could believe it. I'd only text her a few minutes earlier," she said.
Smith was taken to hospital by ambulance where the placenta was delivered. Ryder was a healthy baby and weighed 3.09kg.
They were allowed to go home the same day. "I still didn't feel like I'd had a baby," Smith said.