He was supposed to spend Christmas Day having dinner at his mum's, but instead Rob Parrott found himself delivering his son on his bathroom floor.
Rob and his partner, Sarah Brown – who were expecting their first child together – were unaware she had gone into labour.
They had planned a tranquil water birth at St Mary's Birth Centre, a 40-minute drive away in Melton – but it wasn't to be.
Sarah's waters broke at noon and within 30 minutes she had given birth to son, Lincoln, weighing 7Ibs 1oz, on the bathroom floor of their South Wigston home.
"We were supposed to go over to my mum's for Christmas dinner and when I phoned her to say I was holding her grandson in my arms, she didn't believe me," said Rob. "I had to get the ambulance crew to shout down the phone until she believed us."
Sarah, 31, said: "I'd had some twinges and we'd phoned the birthing centre to get advice. They told us to time them and when they got to five minutes apart to come in.
"We kept checking and when it suddenly dropped to three minutes apart we decided to go as soon as possible. Rob had everything in the car but I felt a sudden urge to push and decided it was too late to go anywhere."
A quick 999 call was made and Rob was told to leave Sarah where she was and get her to lie down.
Sarah, a dental practice manager, said: "I really didn't want to, but the woman on the phone was very firm about it and Rob told me I had to. She kept asking him if he could see anything. At first he said no, and then, within a minute, the baby's head was out.
"It all happened so quickly I didn't really feel any pain and there wasn't time to start panicking. Both Rob and I are quite laidback people and, as it was my first baby, I didn't have anything to compare it to.
"It was a million miles away from the type of birth we planned, but that doesn't matter now. I don't think I'd have it any other way. Rob was fantastic for staying calm and doing what a dad should do."
When the ambulance crew arrived, Lincoln had already been born.
Rob, 33, said: "Everyone assumes the labour will take at least a few hours, but that didn't happen for us.
"I was so grateful to the woman on the end of the phone. She told me to get towels and lie Sarah on the floor and then, before I knew it, he was born.
"It was absolutely amazing. His head came out and within about six pushes so did the rest of him.
"Thankfully, at that point the ambulance crew were with us, and they allowed me to cut his umbilical cord.
"Lincoln was crying so we took that as a sign everything was okay. It's certainly not something I'm ever going to forget."
Lincoln was taken to Leicester General Hospital for a check-up as his temperature was a bit low, but within a couple of hours he was allowed home and the couple were able to finally sit down and enjoy Christmas dinner together.
Rob said: "We can't thank the emergency services enough. We're just glad that everything went smoothly and there were no complications. He's our lovely little Christmas day baby."
