Do-it-yourself mum

JOHANNE Bourke has given birth to five children but only one in a hospital.

One child was born in a car, one child in an ambulance, one on her bed and the latest, Dainjer Nixon was born on the lounge.

Other than her first child, Ms Bourke’s labours have lasted no longer than 10 minutes. She gave birth to Dainjer after pushing only four times.

“Apparently I am the most hated woman in the world,” she said.

Ms Bourke said she was sitting on the lounge at 5.40am on September 24 when she felt a sudden pain and an urge to push, at 5.50am Dainjer was born.

She went into her step- children’s bedroom to announce the birth. Dainjer was seven weeks premature. He weighed 2.34 kilograms. 

Stepson Luke thought it was a hoax.

“I thought she was faking it with someone else’s baby,” he said. 

After realising she was telling the truth his next thought was more practical.

“I don’t want to sit on the lounge,” he said.

Ms Bourke had her son Roy in an ambulance. She says she remembers sucking on gas for pain relief before passing out. She woke up and heard the paramedic describing her contractions.

“I woke up, screamed twice and he was born,” she said.

Her son Calvin was born three weeks premature in her bed at home. The birth took three minutes. 

She gave birth to son Dirk in the car on the way to hospital. The hospital was less than five minutes from where they lived. She didn’t make it.

“We stopped at the roundabout and the baby’s head popped out and I gave birth in my track pants,” she said.

Mother-in-law Bonny Portelli was a non-believer and  when Ms Bourke told her about her speed births she thought she was exaggerating.

It wasn’t until Ms Bourke told her Dainjer had arrived that she realised she was serious.

“I didn’t believe her, I thought she was lying and then I heard the baby crying in the background and I instantly called an ambulance,” Ms Portelli said.

Ms Bourke said she hadn’t ruled out having more children. She might consider staying home months before the due date.