by Chinwe Okafor

Talk about ‘no time’.

A woman who was driving herself to hospital after going into labour recently didn’t quite make it to her destination in time and instead delivered the baby herself by the side of the road.

Mariah Ostler’s waters broke just after dropping her son off at her mother’s house in Salt Lake city, Utah.

At first she tried to make her own way to the hospital, but quickly became overwhelmed and pulled over.

She was on the phone to 911 dispatcher Brittney Chugg when she started to give birth.

Ms Chugg said: ‘We knew. We just knew it was going to happen. There was going to be a baby on the side of the freeway right then.’

Police officers sped to the spot where Ms Ostler had pulled over, however within one minute of their arrival she was holding her new baby in her arms.

Patrol trooper Josh Carr, who instantly wrapped the baby in a jumper and informed Ms Ostler she had given birth to a boy, said: ‘He came right out in my hands.

‘It was very emotional. Probably next to my own children’s birth, it was a very satisfying moment in my career.’

The new baby, who has two older siblings, has not yet been named, however he is in good health and has already been sent home with his mother.

Ada Igboanugo