California woman gives birth in back seat of family car
DANVILLE, Calif. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - A couple is celebrating the arrival of their newborn after experiencing a harrowing birth.
The couple was minutes from the hospital, but the baby could not wait and forced the father to take on the role of doctor by helping deliver the child in the back seat of the family car.
34-year-old Sandra Jacob Kelly shared where her newborn baby made his unusual debut last week: The back seat of the family car.
"This is my birthing suite. This is my birthing suite," Sandra joked.
Sandra says her contractions suddenly ramped up last Monday night. She and her husband jumped into the car, speeding down 680 toward John Muir Hospital.
"I knew once my water broke. We were on the freeway when my water broke. I knew that it was going to be in any moment thing. Because by that point, you can't really control it. Your body just starts to do the work," Sandra shared.
"I think it played out like my worst nightmare, to be honest," said Dwayne Kelly, Sandra's husband.
Dwayne says he was still hoping to make it to the hospital, but the baby had other plans.
"Right off of Ignacio, I started feeling like his head was coming out, so I told my husband to pull over and we delivered him. Him and I," Sandra spoke.
"And it was game time at that point. We pulled over and the head was out within one minute," Dwayne added.
Dad suddenly had to play the role of doctor. Something he never imagined.
"I did my best. I caught the baby and I guess that's all you can do. she was amazing. She talked me through the whole process. I was terrified, but we got it done and everything worked out," Dwayne expressed.
Dwayne wrapped his newborn in a pillow case from the pillow he threw in the backseat paramedics arrived moments later helping him cut the umbilical cord.
"I'm still in recovery. They're doing great. I'm going to repress the memory as quickly as possible and it'll take me a couple of years to recover," Dwayne remarked.
Baby is home bonding with his family his birth story certain to be remembered his name: Tomas Ford.
"But it's a special story because things went well. I obviously wouldn't change any of it," Sandra declared.
