Pregnant Melbourne mum, 37, is documenting her lockdown labour live - after driving herself to a hospital ALONE in tears and leaving her husband and toddler behind

An Australian mum in labour with her second child is documenting the extraordinary experience of delivering a baby under Melbourne's stage four lockdown in a series of Instagram stories titled 'Pandemic Birth Diary'.

Monique Bowley, 37, drove herself to a hospital in the city's east on Monday evening, leaving her husband Nik at home with their young son Ted, who cannot enter the maternity unit due to coronavirus restrictions.

The podcast host – who came fourth on the first season of The Great Australian Bake Off in 2013 - said she sobbed 'the whole way' and almost took her toddler's blanket with her for comfort.

'I just drove myself to hospital because Nik is home with Ted, and that's the way it's gonna be little darling,' she wrote on a teary-eyed selfie taken in her car, quoting the iconic chorus from Australian singer Daryl Braithwaite's hit 'The Horses'.

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Australian journalist Monique Bowley is preparing to deliver her second child at a hospital in east Melbourne as the city suffers through stage four coronavirus lockdown

The 37-year-old  drove herself to a hospital in the city's east on Monday evening, leaving husband Nik at home with their young son Ted who cannot enter the maternity unit due to COVID-19 restrictions

As she pulled out of the driveway, Ms Bowley said her son descended into a 'full meltdown', screaming and crying for his mother. 

When husband Nik said the little boy would be 'absolutely fine', she replied: 'I know, but what about me!'

Ms Bowley said she was on the verge of packing Ted's comforter in her hospital bag to soothe her nerves.

'That's how I know I'm hormonal and emotional enough to birth,' she added.

After arriving at the hospital and receiving an 'epic pep talk' from her obstetrician, Ms Bowley settled into her birthing suite and painted her nails.

'When you can't go more than five kilometres from your house, this is actually a holiday,' she wrote on a photo of her freshly manicured hand attached to a blood oxygen monitor. 

Ms Bowley (pictured early on Tuesday, August 25) said she received an 'epic pep talk' from her obstetrician when she arrived at the hospital

Ms Bowley painted her nails while hooked up to a blood oxygen monitor

In a photo posted just before 9am Tuesday Ms Bowley appears ready for delivery, dressed in a surgical gown and face mask.

'I'm the Masked Birther, which is a lot like the Masked Singer, but instead of singing majestically I will be bellowing like a cow,' she wrote.

An hour later she said she was 'honking on the gas' to ease the pain of her contractions and would be logging off social media.

While coronavirus protocols allow a partner or support person to be present for delivery, Ms Bowley's husband was forced to remain at home with son Ted, who is not allowed in hospital.

COVID-19 guidelines on the hospital's website state: 'We aren't allowing any other visitors into maternity, which unfortunately includes siblings.'

The statement continues: 'We encourage you to use video calls to stay in touch with family and friends and introduce them to your newest addition.' 

Around 10.30am Tuesday, Ms Bowley said she was 'honking on the gas' to ease the pain of her contractions and would be logging off social media

Meanwhile, women are praising Ms Bowley's courage in a parenting group on Facebook. 

'Is anyone else watching Monique Bowley's Insta stories at the moment?' one woman asked early Tuesday morning.

'I'm holding my breath for her that everything goes smoothly. She's very brave, I don't know how I'd go driving myself to hospital to have my baby alone,' she added.

People agreed the experience must be 'bittersweet' for the couple and other parents welcoming children under such unprecedented regulations.

Ms Bowley and husband Nik (pictured together at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in April) faced an agonising wait early in the COVID-19 crisis when they were both suspected of having the deadly respiratory disease despite complying with social distancing laws

Early in the COVID-19 crisis, expectant Ms Bowley and her husband faced an agonising wait when they were both suspected of having the deadly respiratory disease.

In Instagram post from April 17, the journalist revealed they had both been 'really sick' and exhibited so many symptoms of the virus that her GP referred them for testing at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Thankfully both tests returned negative results.