A Missouri couple welcomed their baby girl in the parking lot of a Buc-ee’s after realizing they wouldn’t make it to the hospital in time.
Nathan and Jena Birdsong, of Marshfield, were driving to the hospital in the early hours of Nov. 14 as Jena went into labor with their daughter, according to NBC affiliate KYTV and CBS affiliate WKRC.
On the way, they realized the baby was coming too quickly, so they pulled into the Buc-ee’s parking lot in Springfield, where Nathan called 911 for help.
“I pulled in there, parked the truck, hopped out, got on her side, was trying to look, see if any emergency services were on the way,” Nathan recalled.
With guidance from emergency dispatchers and staff at Mercy Hospital over the phone, Nathan prepared to deliver his child himself.
At 3:16 a.m. local time, Jena gave birth to their daughter, Elaina Birdsong, in the Buc-ee’s parking lot. “It wasn’t too long,” Nathan said. About a minute later, he saw officers from the Strafford Police Department arriving on the scene.
Both Jena and Elaina are doing well following the dramatic delivery, according to KYTV and WKRC.
“No one plans to have their baby in a parking lot, and this could have easily been a scary situation for these parents. But this couple did an amazing job following the lead of our Mercy EMS caregiver who was on the phone helping them through every minute of this experience,” Bob Patterson, Mercy’s executive director of emergency services, said in a statement.
“This story is a testament to the incredible care our EMS team can provide even when they’re not on the scene,” he added.
Buc-ee’s and the Strafford Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
