A mum who was forced to give birth in a KFC car park has nicknamed her newborn son “Colonel” after the fast-food giant’s famous founder.
Katie Murphy, aged 33, was being driven to hospital by her partner Stephen Kirby, aged 32, when she suddenly felt the urge to push.
The couple pulled into the car park at KFC off the A38 in Bromsgrove while Stephen called an ambulance.
Katie and Stephen with baby Cody in the hospital (Image: Stephen Kirby/SWNS)
Moments later, Ms Murphy gave birth to baby Cody in the couple’s car at 9.35pm on August 29, with dad Stephen stepping in to deliver his son before paramedics arrived.
Ms Murphy, a complaints call handler from Redditch, said: “When the ambulance dispatcher was trying to locate our location, the only place we could find was the KFC.
“As my partner pulled into the car park, and as he made his way round to the passenger side and opened the door, he caught my son just in time.
“Thankfully, the ambulances arrived shortly after and the amazing staff took us to the hospital directly with my shell shocked partner following closely behind in the car.”
Cody arrived “healthy and thriving” at 7lbs 8oz, and his mum said he has already earned the nickname ‘Colonel Cody’.
The couple pulled into the car park at KFC off the A38 in Bromsgrove (Image: Emma Trimble/SWNS)
Ms Murphy said: “We were famous amongst the midwifery staff and they even ordered KFC for dinner.
“It was decided that we have to take him to KFC for his first birthday and get him his first weekend job there. We call him Colonel Cody and I think that nickname will definitely stick with him for life.
“It was definitely not the birth I expected, but it was worth every bit of pain, and now he has a very weird story to tell his school friends when he grows up.”
Hours before the birth, the couple, who also have four-year-old daughter, Freya, had been in hospital when Ms Murphy thought she was going into labour but were sent home.
The couple’s doorbell camera captured them rushing back to hospital later that day and minutes before the unexpected delivery.
Mr Kirby, a fridge engineer, said: “I’d taken Katie to the hospital that morning because she had a sense that the baby was coming but the midwives told us it was still a little bit early and sent us home.
“We left the hospital around 4pm but even on the way home Katie was having contractions.
“They got more intense when we were at home but Katie didn’t want to go back to hospital yet in case we were turned away.
“Finally at around 9pm she was in so much discomfort that we just said ‘let’s go’ and I got her in the car to get to hospital.
“The drive is around half-an-hour but around half-way through the journey Katie said she could feel something and knew the baby was coming.
“I was on the phone to the ambulance and they were asking what our location was but we were on the A38 and there was nowhere to pull in.
“Thankfully, I saw the KFC we often go to and pulled into the car park.”
Katie Murphy and her partner, Stephen Kirby, were making their way from their home in Redditch to Worcestershire Royal Hospital when Katie started giving birth on the A38 (Image: Emma Trimble/SWNS)
Ms Murphy, who was sitting in the front seat, added: “As we turned into the car park I could feel the baby’s head coming out. As soon as Stephen parked, he got out and ran round to my side of the car in time to basically catch Cody as he was born.
“It all happened so fast. Thankfully, the ambulance was with us about five minutes later and took us to hospital.
“Despite his abrupt entrance into the world in his dad’s car, Cody is in perfect health and is doing great.”
A spokesperson for KFC said: “A huge congratulations to Katie and Stephen on their very special arrival, what an iconic entrance into the world.
“We’re honoured to have been the place of Cody’s birth and are sending bucket loads of love to the whole family, along with some KFC merch and vouchers to help them celebrate.
“We can’t wait to welcome them back for a meal to mark the occasion.”
