Woman gives birth on tanning bed in Zutphen
A woman gave birth unexpectedly at a tanning salon in Zutphen on Saturday, unaware she was pregnant. The salon owner, Fokko Beuker, was the only person present to assist before emergency responders arrived.
“I’ve seen a lot in my life, but never this,” Beuker said. “I walked in and saw the baby’s head coming out.”
The woman, a regular customer at Beauty Passage, called for help multiple times. When Beuker entered the tanning room, he immediately called emergency services.
“The birth happened so fast, maybe 10 minutes in total,” he said. “I grabbed towels and cleared space for the paramedics, but the baby was born before they arrived.”
Beuker said the newborn, a girl, was silent at first but breathing. “Her belly was moving up and down, so I knew she was okay. The emergency dispatcher asked me if the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, but thankfully it wasn’t.”
A trauma helicopter, ambulance, and midwife were dispatched to the salon. By the time they arrived, the baby had already been delivered. Medical staff confirmed that both the mother and child were healthy but took them to the hospital for further evaluation. “The ambulance arriving was a relief,” Beuker said. “I had no idea what to do.”
The woman, who frequently visited the salon, had no prior knowledge of her pregnancy. “If she had known, she wouldn’t have been using a tanning bed,” Beuker noted.
After the mother and baby were taken to the hospital, Beuker resumed his work. “Since the baby is healthy, I can keep going. I can’t cancel appointments.”
