A CALDICOT girl who was born at the side of the road en-route to hospital during the first coronavirus lockdown has just celebrated her second birthday - and is doing just fine.
When pregnant Sammy-Jo Panacci's contractions started at about 8am on Sunday, August 9, 2020, she and her partner Darien Jones got in the car and headed to Abergavenny's Nevill Hall Hospital.
But their new arrival was in no mood to wait and, still five minutes away from the hospital, they had to pull over at the side of the dual carriageway, and Mr Jones found himself delivering his new daughter himself.
Luckily, traffic was extremely light at the time and, at 10.02am, baby Autumn-Renaé was born, weighing 8lb 4oz.
Ms Panacci, her partner and their new arrival were out of hospital and recuperating at home later that same day.
Now, little Autumn-Renaé has just celebrated her second birthday and Ms Panacci says she is getting on just fine.
"She was born in the year covid came around," she said.
"I was worried it may have delayed her reaching milestones as she wasn’t getting to go to baby groups or socialise or anything like I did with her older sister, but she has hit every milestone like she should have."
Adding to the anxiety, Autumn-Renaé didn't cry for the first 50 seconds after being born.
Thankfully, she ended up absolutely fine and started crying shortly after a minute had passed.
Ms Panacci said that Autumn-Renaé already loves playing with her big sister April-Esmé.
"Her speech is developing really well now as it should be," she said,
"All her family are super proud of her and her big sister."
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