Doctor about to give birth helps to deliver another mother’s baby instead after it became distressed

Dr Amanda Hess helps Leah Halliday Johnson after her own doctor went on a break

Dr Hess later gave birth to her baby daughter Ellen Joyce and joked she had worked up ‘til the last second’

A doctor about to give birth leapt out of her bed to help bring another woman’s child into the world instead after her baby became distressed.

Dr Amanda Hess rushed to the rescue of Leah Johnson in Frankfort Regional Medical Center, Kentucky, when her own doctor was on a break.

She acted after overhearing nurses saying that Ms Johnson, who was fully dilated, needed to give birth immediately.

Dr Hess said: “I just put on another gown to cover up my backside and put on some boots over my shoes to keep from getting any fluid and all that stuff on me, and went down to her room.”

She recognised Ms Johnson, whom she had performed a check-up on days before, and delivered her healthy baby daughter.

Ms Johnson afterwards described Dr Hess as “pretty amazing”, and added: “I feel very lucky she was there and the type of person she is and stepped up to do what she did.”

Dr Hess, a doctor in obstetrics and gynaecology, later gave birth to her second child, Ellen Joyce.

Both mothers and babies were reportedly doing well — and Dr Hess was expected to take eight months for her maternity leave.

She added: “I had actually taken a call the day before, so I thought really that I was working up to the last minute but this was literally ’til the last second.”

It came just weeks after a newborn was saved by paramedics who battled to get her mother admitted to her nearest hospital after being told there was no room.