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By Rachael O'Connor
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A woman has shared her jaw-dropping birth story after going into labor alone at home.
Jenna Hadley, 22, and from the United Kingdom, was at home with just her dog and young children when she gave birth to a baby girl on November 15, 2024—just minutes after going into labor.
"She's only one now, so she isn't aware of how chaotic her welcoming into the world was yet," Hadley told Newsweek.
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But millions of online strangers now know the story, after Hadley shared it to her TikTok account, @jenna.jade03, on October 20.
Viewed more than 2 million times, it shows a series of text messages between Hadley and her partner, beginning with one at 8:18 a.m. where she tells him her water has broken.
And, as he sends her a flurry of messages asking if she's okay, she replies at 8:44 a.m.—with a photo of their baby girl, Kathleena Jane, in her arms.
Another screengrab shows Hadley texting her mother to "get here now" at 8:25—followed by one at 8:39 a.m. saying "dw [don't worry] I've given birth," and a photo of the newborn at home.
She then reveals in the video that her daughter was born at home at 8:31 a.m., "next to a Cane Corso."
Their dog, Zels, is a mixed breed, crossed between a Cane Corso and a Shar-Pei. Corsos are large guardian dogs, with males growing up to 28 inches at the shoulder, and are fiercely loyal animals, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). Shar-Peis are also big dogs, weighing up to 60 pounds.
Hadley told Newsweek: "The dog behaved so well, he was gentle and knew something wasn't right. He sat next to me and offered so much comfort. When she was actually born, he was very gentle and stayed still.
"She is our fifth child we've welcomed into the world, so I feel like the dog knew exactly what had gone down, and knew he had to be gentle and quiet. Even when the paramedic arrived at the front door he stayed quiet—but stayed guarded!"
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In a comment under her video, Hadley explained she was texting her mother, partner and friend because "I didn't care who was with me, I just wanted bloody someone, and I got a 60kg dribbly dog and a 2-year-old with autism as a birthing partner!"
She told Newsweek: "Thankfully, my friend was on her way over and arrived just after I'd rung for an ambulance. The ambulance took about four to six minutes to get to me."
Hadley's newborn was "slightly premature," so the mother and baby were brought to hospital, where her daughter underwent "a few extra checks."
However, she was discharged 48 hours later, and returned to the family home where she was born, with her parents and four older brothers ready to make a fuss of her.
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TikTok users were astounded at the story, awarding it more than 250,000 likes, as one commenter wrote: "The juxtaposition of the baby and the dog in my head is taking me out. You’re amazing. Good job mama. And doggo."
"Insane that the receiving doctor was a cane corso, get him a stethoscope," another joked.
Others couldn't get over the way Hadley announced her daughter's arrival, one laughing: "'Dw I've given birth' I'm howling. Well done girl you're amazing!"
Hadley told Newsweek she shared the video as a "light-hearted laugh," as "everything went very smooth, and nothing bad happened."
The family looks back and laughs at the situation, she added—and were even "laughing about it the same day it happened."
"I'm happy answering questions, I like talking about it," she said. "It was one of [those] moments I genuinely felt like a superhero!"
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