The Day Dr Hilary Knew: Laura Tobin’s Dramatic Premature Birth Story

In a heartwarming and unexpected turn of events, Good Morning Britain weather presenter Laura Tobin has shared the dramatic story of how her co-star, Dr Hilary Jones, recognized she was going into premature labor—well before she did. In 2017, Laura gave birth to her first child, Charlotte, but it was no ordinary labor. Charlotte arrived at just 27 weeks, a fact that Laura only realized after Dr Hilary intervened.

Speaking on Laura Hamilton’s Mile High Club podcast, Laura recounted the moment with a mix of humor and gratitude, calling it a “funny story” in hindsight, but one that could have ended very differently had Dr Hilary not been there. Initially, Laura brushed off the pains she was experiencing, assuming they were Braxton Hicks contractions, or false labor pains, something many pregnant women experience.

She explained to A Place in the Sun star, Laura Hamilton, “I went to work and Charlotte Hawkins was like, ‘They’re just Braxton Hicks. I really wouldn’t worry about it.’” But one member of the Good Morning Britain team, Debbie from Wardrobe, had an instinct that something was off and sought the advice of Dr Hilary Jones, the show’s resident medical expert, via the Express.

Debbie’s concern proved to be critical, as Dr Hilary, who had personal experience with premature birth himself, immediately recognized the seriousness of the situation. He responded, “It sounds like she’s going to have the baby,” recalls Laura, who was still in denial about what was happening. “I didn’t think I was having the baby, I just thought I was having Braxton Hicks. I was really chilled.“, reports Wales Online.

Dr Hilary, who had twins born prematurely at 27 weeks, insisted that Laura head to St Thomas’s Hospital, just minutes away from the Good Morning Britain studios in central London. Thinking it was just a precaution, Laura assumed she would be back at work in no time to deliver her weather segment. But her colleagues, fully aware of the gravity of the situation, kept her calm and tried to avoid stressing her out.

Laura recalls how the atmosphere in the hospital was strangely peaceful. “Everyone kept me really calm, they didn’t want to stress me out. It wasn’t busy, I think I might have been the only person in the ward,” she said, reflecting on the surreal experience. Even as the midwife delivered the news that the baby was coming, Laura remained surprisingly unfazed. “The midwife came in and said, ‘These babies decide when they want to come, and yours wants to come today.’ It didn’t freak me out,” she added. Just hours later, her daughter Charlotte was born.

Laura, who has been married to Dean Brown since 2010, opened up further on the podcast about how the experience of having a premature baby has shaped their parenting. She revealed that she and her husband have different approaches to raising Charlotte, which stem from the trauma and stress surrounding her early birth. Despite the challenges, the couple has navigated parenthood with grace, knowing how lucky they are to have Charlotte.

Looking back, Laura’s story is a testament to the power of intuition, quick thinking, and the importance of having people around you who recognize the signs you may miss yourself. Without Dr Hilary’s intervention, the outcome could have been very different. Today, Laura and her family are thriving, and she remains forever grateful for the day Dr Hilary knew before she did that her baby was on the way.