HOME GIRL: Hayley Murfet and Chris Oram with daughter Eppany Nevaeh whose arrival took everyone by surprise. Picture by Chris Ison Local Faces 'I gave birth on the toilet floor'

FIVE hours after she was sent home from Rockhampton Hospital’s maternity unit because nothing was happening, Hayley Murfet had her first child on the toilet floor of her Depot Hill home.



The young mum was recovering in hospital yesterday with her new daughter, Eppany Nevaeh, reliving the impromptu home birth.



“It just happened so quickly. When things started it was all over in about five minutes,” she said.

Her mum Tracy and dad Wayne did their best to help, but Hayley said her partner Chris Oram was a hero.



“He was the calmest of everyone and the biggest help. He was the only one calm enough to speak to the ambulance service on the phone. He did very well.”



Chris said helping to deliver his child in such unusual circumstances was exciting and nerve-racking.



“It happened so quickly there was no time to think about what we were doing. We just did it.”



An ambulance arrived just in time for staff to take control and cut Eppany’s umbilical cord.



The new arrival weighed in at nine pounds exactly, or 4080g.



“Although it’s not what I had planned I actually quite enjoyed having the baby at home,” said Hayley.



“If I have another baby I want to have it delivered at home.”



Eppany, who was actually six days overdue, arrived at 5.40pm on Sunday. Hayley hopes to go home today.