Amber van Dijk from Kaatsheuvel gave birth to her baby on the hard shoulder of the N261 last month. When she was ten centimeters dilated, she was rushed to hospital by ambulance, but baby Seff turned out to be faster. “It wasn’t until we arrived at the hospital with Seff that I realized what had happened.”
New parents Amber van Dijk and Wouter van de Wouw look proudly at their baby Seff. The fact that his birth was anything but ordinary is evident from the hectometer sign hanging above his playpen. “Seff was born exactly at post 9.9.”
Amber was only 34 weeks pregnant when the contractions suddenly started. Wouter says: “I was still at work when Amber called. She said she thought the birth had started. I went home straight away and the midwife came straight away.”
Amber adds: “Upon arrival, the midwife said that I was already ten centimeters dilated and that the baby would arrive shortly. Wouter immediately called an ambulance. They would urgently take me to the hospital, but Seff was born after a ten-minute drive.”
“At least Seff has a good story later on birthdays”
Amber gave birth to her baby on the emergency smoke of the N261. But she didn’t panic. “I don’t think I really realized it at the time. It happened so quickly. It wasn’t until we finally arrived at the hospital with Seff that I realized what had happened.”
Because Seff was born prematurely, he had to stay in the hospital for eight days. But he is now home and he is doing very well.
This week Seff received a special maternity visit. Two road inspectors brought a hectometer sign from the place where he was born. Amber explains: “We really wanted that. The midwife advised us to send Rijkswaterstaat a message. But because the N261 is not a highway but a provincial road, we had to contact the province. We did that and this week we received the special birth sign.”
The hectometer sign now has a place of honor above the box. “Eventually it will hang above his bed,” says Wouter. “We like that all the maternity visitors can see it too. And Seff certainly has a good story to tell later on birthdays,” his parents conclude with a laugh.
“This is a nice end to an eventful year.”
Amber and Wouter look back positively on their adventure. “Seff is doing very well and that is of course the most important thing. And after all the hectic pace, we still had a nice maternity period.”
Yet it gives Wouter mixed feelings. “Last year, my godfather and godmother unfortunately died in an accident on a road in Egypt. So it is very nice and twofold that Seff was born along a road, of all places. This makes it extra special and a nice end to an eventful year.”
