Calm-headed dad delivers baby daughter on side of busy motorway

A calm-headed dad delivered his baby daughter on the side of the motorway after his wife started while en route to the .

Heart-warming footage shows Lucas Arruda Rodrigues, 36, sitting on the kerb with the tiny in his arms. Tears of joy can be seen in his eyes as he looks down upon the infant.

His wife, Renata Mendes Rodrigues, had a C-section scheduled at a hospital in Pilar do Sul, . But she began feeling pain in the morning two days earlier and had to be taken to the hospital early. When her contractions intensified en route, Lucas pulled over onto the roadside.

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He tried his best to keep his cool as he helped deliver little Cecília on his own. She was born weighing 2.975 kg (6 lb and 9 oz) and in good health.

After the birth, Lucas’s brother, Leandro Rodrigues, rushed to the spot between Alambari and Sarapuí. He filmed the tender scenes, which he captioned: “God is good all the time! My niece was born on the highway. Cecília is born! The power of a miracle.”

After the birth, an ambulance arrived at the scene and took the family to a hospital in Itapetininga. Lucas - a civil engineer and occupational safety engineer - told local media: “I confess it wasn’t easy at all. It was really tense. I was sweating a lot and shaking.

“When the baby was born, I rolled her up in a towel and ran to the roadside assistance station. I crossed the double lane, jumped over the central reservation, and went to talk to the rescuers and the paramedics, who were amazing.”

Lucas and Renata, 32, also have a son, Thomáz. Thomáz, aged 17 months, met his little sister for the first time on the afternoon of 6 October.

After being dropped off, Lucas recalled: “I walked into the hospital holding Cecília in my arms, and my wife followed right after. It was the most emotional moment of my life, and I’ll never forget it.”

Earlier this year, a British woman in the front seat of her Ford Mondeo - after getting stuck in traffic on the way to hospital. Demi Clark, 22, was 40 weeks pregnant when she began experiencing cramps, a sign that labour was starting.

Along with her partner Daniel Moy, 32, and her mum Maria Clark, 41, quickly set off for Sunderland Royal Hospital. However, en route, the family from Whiteleas, South Shields, found themselves stuck in traffic while crossing Sunderland Bridge.

Demi started having strong contractions and felt the need to push. Caught in stationary traffic, Demi had no option but to give birth in the front seat, with Maria assisting from the back seat despite having no medical training.

Baby Delilah, Demi's third child, was born weighing 7lbs 13oz. She was wrapped in a jacket until they finally reached the hospital via ambulance. After spending some time in the hospital, Delilah was discharged and is now at home with her family.