Midwife Rides Giant Inflatable Swan Through Flood Waters To Deliver Baby

When Cathy Rude heard there was a flood in the local area, she knew she would have to make a tough journey.

As a midwife, she had a patient who needed attention - and the weather wasn't going to stop the little one.

So she did the only thing she could - and in 24 years of midwifery, she says she's never done anything like it before.

The 63-year-old faced high waters on the back of an inflatable SWAN to get to her birthing bed.

The water in Katy, Texas Street was up to Rude's waist, but she didn't leave mum-to-be Andrea Haley in the lurch - as she'd been having contractions already for a few days.

Writing on her Facebook page, Rude explained: "Midwives will do anything to get to a birth! Riding a swan to get off my flooded street and make it to the birth centre!"

Although it was a laughing matter, the job at hand was serious, Rude explains.

"I was concerned, as she was, that if her water were to break, things would happen very quickly," she said.

"So, we started asking how I was going to get out of the house if that happened."

Haley and her family took to the street to try and reach Rude, and when they saw a woman riding a white swan on the flooded street, they asked for her help.

Rude explained: "Andrea called me and said, 'A swan is coming to pick you up.' I laughed and gathered all my stuff and opened the front door and sure enough there was an inflatable swan with my neighbour behind it."