'Lily', a midwife and nurse from west Cork, had a BBA, or born-before-arrival baby. Hospital staff use the term for infants whose mothers don't make it to a maternity unit on time. "He was baby number seven. The labour started off with vague pains. My husband had to take something to Killarney. Then we had to take the children to my sister's. Then he had to do something else. 'We'd better go in,' I said. I was in a fair bit of pain by then.
"I was feeling uncomfortable in the van. I couldn't sit in the front, so I sat in the back. 'Can I do anything?' he asked. 'Say a prayer,' I said.
"At Ovens, just outside Cork city, I decided the baby was coming. We pulled in off the road. The baby came. I picked him up. 'We might as well go home again,' my husband said. So off we went, and motored on home.
"I found some string, cut the cord, got into bed and nursed him straight away. The baby was fine. The doctor gave out to me when he came. He nearly dismissed me, for coming home again instead of going into hospital!
"What I missed was the presence of a woman, any woman, who knew something, or even nothing, about childbirth. I can't remember having any fear at all. But you need some help.
"Not many are caught out on the side of the road. They're brought in ahead of their time - too early - to be induced."