An expectant Auckland mother got a lot more than she bargained for after visiting Costco and giving birth to her baby in the store on Friday.
Newshub spoke to the new mum who's forever grateful to the staff who helped with her surprise delivery.
Giant warehouse Costco stocks around 4000 products, but there was an unexpected item in Gill Bay's shopping trolley on Friday.
Still a month out from her son's due date, Gill and her husband Keith left the retail warehouse with their newborn baby.
The couple went to west Auckland's Costco in Westgate to shop for their baby shower, when Gill started to experience severe pain.
"At the parking lot I couldn't bear the pain, I couldn't even sit. The pain was getting so intense - it's like the pain of when you want to go poop," she explained.
Gill then went back inside the store to use the toilet, as her pain became even more intense.
"I was crying, my back was so sore," she said.
It was her first pregnancy and Gill had no idea she was in labour.
Her husband called for help and moved her to a disabled toilet. It was then that they realised their baby was on the way.
Gill told Newshub she was thankful that the disability toilet was "big enough for all of us" and that it was clean.
It was all hands on deck with Costco staff playing a pivotal role in the emergency birth - as they relayed instructions from a 111 operator and brought her towels.
"Costco staff all were amazing. They were all so helpful from the moment we had to go back in," Gill said.
The arrival of their surprise bundle caused a stir amongst the shoppers in the store.
"When I saw the people around us clapping and celebrating, I was like 'Thank you', and feeling so blessed to have those people being so kind, and helping," she said.
The couple have named their "blessing" of a baby Nathanael.
Because he weighed in at just 1.5kg, he'll be in the special care baby unit until he gains more weight.
