A woman has given birth on a couch in a Sydney hospital waiting room as a result of a lack of available beds.

The woman, who asked not to be identified, went to Westmead Hospital after her waters broke whilst she was walking her dog on July 31.

She says at Westmead she and her husband were forced to wait in a corridor.

As her labour progressed, midwives threw towels on a leather couch and cleared others out of the waiting room to deliver the woman’s baby.

The new mum’s first photo with her partner and the child was taken on the couch where she gave birth.

Even after the delivery, the woman says there were still no beds available and she was eventually transferred to the gynaecology ward.

“The midwife who was in charge told me that there are 17 people in this gyno unit and there are only three of us, so that ratio is very off,” the mother told 9News.

“That was my exposure to the staffing problems.”

Health Minister Ryan Park said the government was determined to bring in more staff, particularly at Westmead.

A spokesperson for Western Sydney Local Health District apologised to the new parents.

“Over the evening of 31 July, Westmead Hospital’s birthing unit was very busy and experienced a higher than average number of births, with 24 women in the birthing unit,” the spokesperson said.

“Birthing can be unpredictable, with patient needs and clinical urgency fluctuating rapidly due to the spontaneous nature of labour and delivery.”