Post date: Apr 21, 2011 11:15:25 PM
A woman gives birth to a healthy baby boy in the back of a taxi cab on the way to the hospital.
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (APRIL 21, 2011) NBC - It's a dreadful thought for many expectant parents -- giving birth on the way to the hospital. But that's just what happened to new mom Even Sweeney, when she and her partner rushed into a taxi on Wednesday (April 20) as her contractions began to intensify.
"I was just thinking how do I keep this baby inside me? I actually thought I should try to keep him inside, but you can't actually do that," said Even Sweeney at a press conference at St. Luke's Roosevelt hospital.Sweeney began having contractions at her Brooklyn home. Her partner Inez Murray called a taxi service to take them to the Manhattan hospital.
But as the cab weaved through traffic, Sweeney's water broke.
"And then Even did what she did the last time she went into labor, she had a huge contraction and then went over on her side and I thought oh God, that's a clear sign," Murray said.
The cab driver called 911 and pulled over while Murray coached Sweeney. ,
"I thought we have no choice here but to tell her to push. She pushed, one big push and his head came out like a cork and his air, whatever happens to your lungs, he gasped and I thought at least he's breathing - he looked blue and green. I was quite worried, and then one more push and he came out."
Within 30 seconds the couple said six police cars and an ambulance arrived at the scene. An emergency medical team came into the cab and cut the chord and they put mom and baby on a stretcher into the ambulance.
The new mom said she remembered being surrounded by a band of smiling policemen and people applauding in the street.