KAY Parkin was horrified to find her mum naked and bloodied on the bathroom floor cradling a newborn baby in a bundle of towels.

Her mother, Melanie, had lost four pints of blood giving birth to her brother, Noah, who was almost two months early and hypothermic.

Fighting the near-instant onset of shock Kay, 20, phoned an ambulance for her mother and then gave CPR to 33-week-old Noah.

Her quick thinking saved their lives.

The Northern Echo: Melanie Parkin with her son Noah, who was born at 33 weeks. Picture: TOM BANKS (54317016)
Melanie Parkin with her son Noah, who was born at 33 weeks. Picture: TOM BANKS

The York St John University student said: “When I walked in I saw my naked, bloody mam with a baby on the floor.

“It was really terrifying, but I kept focused and had to try not to panic.”

Kay resuscitated her brother while waiting for paramedics to arrive at home on Exeter Close in Chester-le-Street, County Durham.

She said: “I have CPR training but was in shock and the lady on the phone had to talk me through it.

“I was holding Noah the whole time. He was responsive but he wasn’t crying.”

The ordeal began on Thursday, January 14 when Melanie Parkin, 40, went upstairs to use the toilet while Kay, an occupational therapy student, finished her third assignment of the day.

Melanie, a Durham County Council social worker, said: “I didn’t know it at the time but my waters had broken. I just thought I had wet myself.

“I went to the toilet and then I just screamed for Kay.

“Kay was checking his responses because he wasn’t crying. There were gushes of blood and I knew I needed to get him to the hospital.”

By the time paramedics arrived Melanie had lost so much blood she fainted.

She said: “I was losing litres of blood in the ambulance. I told the driver he had to take the baby because I was going to pass out.

“The placenta hadn’t come out yet and that can be quite serious as well. The worst case scenario if they couldn’t get it out is I would’ve been dead.”

Melanie added: “It was so emotional, scary and just plain awful really.

“If it wasn’t for Kay, we both would’ve died.”

After two weeks in the neonatal unit at Sunderland Royal Hospital, Noah returned home happy and healthy last week.

Melanie added: “I’m so happy that he’s coming home.

“If this was my first child, I would never have another one.”

Both Melanie and Kay thanked the North East Ambulance Service for their help.

Melanie said: “They were amazing. They were so calm the whole time. Without them we wouldn’t be here either.”