'I was panicking': Nail technician, 38, at Chinatown salon helps woman give birth right after eyelash treatment

A pregnant customer unexpectedly went into labour during her eyelash appointment at a beauty salon in Chinatown, receiving assistance from the staff.

The 37-year-old woman visited Smart Cat Head Spa on Mar. 25, about a week before she was supposed to be due, the beautician who served her told Shin Min Daily News.

When the customer, surnamed Wang (transliterated), suddenly experienced contractions shortly after her treatment, she did not have time to wait for emergency services to arrive.

She gave birth a few minutes later, with help from the beautician.

Felt unwell

Wang arrived at the salon feeling unwell, but said she had consulted a doctor, who assured her it was fine to go ahead with her appointment.

The beautician, a 38 year old surnamed Zhang (transliterated), saw that she did not look well, and sped up the eyelash treatment.

Soon after they were done, Wang looked pale, and said that she was experiencing discomfort.

"I was panicking and did not know what to do," Zhang recalled.

She laid a blanket out on the floor and helped Wang to lie down while she called her husband.

Zhang also asked another customer who could speak English to help call for the ambulance.

"The customer's hands kept shaking, so I held her hands to comfort her and calm her down," she told Shin Min. "But I was actually very nervous myself."

The delivery

Not long after, Wang said that the baby was coming. Zhang took a look, and saw that the baby's head was already coming out.

Wang's husband and the ambulance were still on the way.

Forcing herself to stay calm, Zhang assisted with the delivery.

After a chaotic 15 minutes, they heard the wailing of a baby boy.

By this time, Zhang was overwhelmed.

She did not know what to do with the umbilical cord, so she simply wrapped the baby up in towels and brought him to his mother.

When the ambulance arrived, the medical personnel cut the umbilical cord and brought the mother to the hospital.

The salon later posted a video of the incident on TikTok, showing the woman on a stretcher, wheeled out of the store by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers.

The father followed behind, carrying a baby in a bundle with a smile on his face.

Thankful

Wang, who had given birth once before, told Shin Min that everything happened very suddenly, and she had never imagined that her baby would be born in a beauty salon.

She also expressed her thanks to Zhang for her help, and added that members of the public outside the salon had congratulated her as she left.

Zhang, recalling the incident, also found it hard to believe.

Although the scene was chaotic, she knew she had to stay calm to help the mother during the critical moment, and was glad that both the mother and baby were safe and healthy.

There was an unforgettable moment as the baby's father carried him away.

"He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at me," Zhang said. "I thought it was extraordinary, and was very moved."

The salon staff, speaking to CNA, said that they plan to reach out and do something special for the mother and child after they have had time to rest.

The TikTok video has garnered over 120,000 views, with many netizens congratulating the mother.

Some joked about striking the lottery using the salon's unit number, and a few quipped that the baby should receive free hair treatments for life.

"This must be arranged," the salon replied the latter suggestion.

Top images from jasonsg520/TikTok and Shin Min