A Montreal man got his wife to the Royal Victoria hospital in lots of time for her to have her baby, but he says he still had to deliver it himself because there was no medical staff around to help.

Baby Christophe was born May 13, but his father, Mark Schouls, just told his story to CBC Radio Wednesday morning and said later he was immediately called by the hospital obstetrician, who apologized.

Schouls said he checked his wife, Karine Lachapelle, into hospital the night of May 12. Doctors told them their baby wasn't likely to arrive until late the next morning.

Lachapelle was placed in a ward where one nurse was taking care of several new or expectant mothers.

At about 5 a.m., Lachapelle's contractions became more frequent, Schouls said, and he knew the baby was coming soon.

He said he frantically pressed the alert button by his wife's bedside, but it was several minutes before anyone arrived.

"The nurse did come by our room twice but didn't really come in but just stood at the door and said, 'I'll be there in a few minutes, I'll be there in a few minutes.' "

'I just pulled him out'

But the baby arrived before the nurse did, Schouls said.

"[Karine] just kind of leaned back, and all of a sudden I see the baby starting to come out," he said.

"I just put my hand on his chest, and my fingers around his armpits, and my other hand kind of on his face …and I just pulled him out."

Once he heard Christophe cry, and saw he was breathing, Schouls ran to find help.

"The nurses' station was vacant, so I continued down the hall. Once I got to the maternity area, then the doctors and the nurses came running."

Schouls said the family was treated well after that.

"There was no safety issue involved in the case," said hospital spokesman Matt Kalina.

He said there were two nurses on duty that night, and they weren't far away.

Even if something had gone wrong with the birth, Kalina said, hospital staff would have arrived in time to help.

He said the hospital will talk to Schouls to try and find out exactly what happened.

Schouls said he's just glad baby Christophe and his mum are healthy and that that's what matters the most.