JANE Hatch experienced every mother's worst nightmare when her son suffered a severe asthma attack during a blackout - preventing her from using a machine to help him breathe.

The 47-year-old did not think twice about the few drinks she'd had with her friend - she put her son in the car and headed to the hospital while ringing St John Ambulance for help, NT News reports.

But a police officer arrested her for drink-driving after she handed her son over to an ambulance crew waiting for her at Palmerston.

After driving for 25 years with no traffic convictions, Ms Hatch has now lost her licence for six months and can't continue to work as an on-call midwife.

She said the experience had shattered her faith in the police.

"I just feel really bullied," Ms Hatch said outside of Darwin Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to medium-range drink-driving yesterday.

Ms Hatch's lawyer Peter Maley told the court she was having a drink with her friend Sue Clarke at her home when her son suffered a severe asthma attack on January 12.

When her son's nebuliser would not work the emergency quickly deteriorated into a crisis and she made the decision to drive.

Ms Clarke and her son Jake, 10, went with Ms Hatch, providing first aid to Darcy.

Ms Hatch tried to ring St John Ambulance repeatedly but only got through just before reaching Palmerston - where paramedics met them prepared for a code one emergency.

Read more at the NT News.