Mum forced to give birth on freeway after climate protest blocks West Gate

A Melbourne mother has thanked a teacher who helped deliver her baby on the side of the road after climate protesters blocked the West Gate Bridge, stopping her from getting to a hospital.

Roshni Lad and her husband Bhairav drove down the wrong side of the road in a panic on their way to hospital during the hours-long blockade yesterday.

But after Roshni's water broke, the couple were forced to pull over and deliver the new baby boy without the help of medical professionals.

READ MORE: Extinction Rebellion promises more chaos after West Gate Bridge blocked for hours

Speaking to 9News, Bhairav said a moment of panic prompted him to drive on the wrong side of the road in a desperate attempt to get to the hospital.

He said other motorists had screamed at him as he drove through red lights while the map showed the hospital was an hour away due to the heavy traffic.

"I thought, I don't need to think about them, I just need to think about my wife," he said.

The bridge was blocked off four hours during peak hour yesterday, causing major traffic delays on the West Gate Bridge and nearby roads.

READ MORE: West Gate Bridge climate protesters jailed for rush-hour chaos

Roshni said her labor pains were so bad that she barely noticed when they became stuck in traffic caused by the Extinction Rebellion protest.

"I was having very, very big cramps so I was just thinking what is going to happen to me," Roshni said.

"As soon as my water broke I could feel that my baby (was) coming out, and I thought I don't think I'll be able to go to the hospital to deliver the baby.

"I didn't envision he was going to come out on the road."

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After the couple pulled over, a friend who had been in the back seat of the car banged on the side of a nearby school bus for help.

Teacher Kate Lonsdale, who got out to see what was going on, ended up helping the couple deliver their baby boy.

Roshni said her son was born after only two pushes.

"I was just praying to God that my baby would be safe," she said.

"I'm very grateful. She (Kate) was an angel for me."

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Around 20 minutes after the baby was born, paramedics arrived.

Kate held the couple's new baby until the ambulance arrived to cut the cord.

She said she was relieved after learning the newborn was all right once he was checked at the hospital.

"I was scared," she said.

"I was scared because I'm not from the medical profession so I don't know what to do.

"It was lovely we could help them. The family were very grateful, and we were relieved once we knew both mum and baby were okay."

READ MORE: 'Very lucky' no one was killed in Gold Coast bus crash, police say

Two climate protesters have been sentenced to 21 days in jail over the stunt, after they pleaded guilty to obstructing police and emergency service workers.

Deanna 'Violet' Coco, 33, from NSW and 51-year-old Bradley Homewood from Williamstown pleaded guilty to two counts of public nuisance by obstructing motorists and obstructing police and emergency service workers yesterday.

Their co-accused, Joseph Zammit, 68, from Melbourne, also pleaded guilty to the same charges.

He was released on bail on the condition that he not attend unlawful protests or undertake any unlawful actions during a protest and not associate with Coco and Homewood.