Firefighters deliver baby in bathtub
A baby didn't want to wait until mom got to the hospital.
Firefighters from the Ypsilanti Township Fire Department, pictured here, delivered a baby Wednesday when they responded to a medical call.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
When Helisek and his partner, Mark Kochan, got to the apartment, the mother, a 36-year-old Ypsilanti Township woman, was in labor in the bathtub.
The woman, whose due date was Nov. 11, had gone to the doctor earlier in the day and was told she wasn't expected to deliver anytime soon.
The baby boy had other plans.
"That baby was coming whether we were there or not," said Helisek.
After going to the doctor's earlier in the day, the woman reportedly went out shopping and did a lot of walking around. When she came home, she didn't feel well so she got into the tub to take a bath, Helisek said. That's when labor started and 911 was called.
The healthy baby was delivered and Huron Valley Ambulance was on the scene minutes later to transport mother and child to University of Michigan Hospital as a precaution.
The baby's father, grandparents and 9-year-old sister were on hand in the apartment for the birth, said Helisek.
Comments
J K
Tue, Nov 27, 2012 : 7:20 p.m.
Congrats to the family! Kudos to the firefighters! To the comment made about home births, most women who do home births spend a lot of time and effort preparing for it and many women chose to have help from midwives and doulas on hand. This was obviously not the case for this woman and giving birth takes a lot of courage no matter where it happens. An unexpected water birth even more so. Congrats again to the lucky family on the safe delivery and the birth of their son.
5c0++ H4d13y
Fri, Nov 16, 2012 : 12:45 a.m.
A lot of women do home births every year in A2. It's not like it's hard.
jns131
Fri, Nov 16, 2012 : 3:06 a.m.
Sorry but give me the drugs any day of the week. As for pain? I am zero on the scale. Now give me some spin blockers and now we can talk.
jns131
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 11:27 p.m.
About freaking time we hear some good news. Congrats on the unexpected.
Suzanne
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 9:16 p.m.
So much for a relaxing bath! I hope she didn't mind the audience!
LXIX
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 4:55 p.m.
Rub a dub dub THree men in a tub And who do you think they were? Nope Mike, Mark, and the born swimmer who's safe delivery allows him to become a man in the future.
Linda Peck
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 1:03 p.m.
What a wonderful event!
David
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 12:29 p.m.
Don't throw the baby out with the....never mind.
Liliana Holtzman
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 11:13 a.m.
The baby arrived just in time for Thanksgiving! Best of luck to the family.
PineyWoodsGuy
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 4:25 a.m.
My daughter is married to an active duty Army soldier who was in Afghan at the time. Grandson #3 was delivered on a German roadside, a driver on the way to work stopped by. She was a dental technician. Couldn't speak English, but got on the cell phone and spoke German to the hospital, about 10 miles away. The hospital sent an ambulance with a doctor on board. Everything turned out A-OK and, at age 1, Robbie is a bouncing baby boy! (I heard it was a mess to clean-out the front seat of the SUV)! Congrats to Ypsi Firefighers! You saved the young parents some hospital bills! All is Well that ends Well! God Bless!!!
mady
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 8:51 p.m.
Neat Story!
obviouscomment
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 2:05 p.m.
Wow what a story. But unfortunately they will still have hospital bills. I have a friend that recently delivered in a car on the way to the hospital and the doctor still charged her even though the doctor just stopped in the room to check and didn't actually deliver the baby. Granted the bills were probably a little lower considering they didn't need anesthesia to come in but besides that they will still probably have quite a bill...especially for emergency and ambulance services.
DMBE
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 4:17 a.m.
Nice story. Funny how doctors think they have an idea when babies will come.
Sarah
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 11:45 a.m.
I also think it's funny that everyone assumes that babies know what the plan is or the rules are!
Steve Beisheim
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 3:48 a.m.
Not Surprisingly.... home births are probably safer anyway.. especially when compared to you know where.....
mady
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 2:13 p.m.
Steve, not necessarily. my youngest daughter, when she was born, decided to emerge w/the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, afterward she spent several days in NICU with a collapsed lung. If these facilities hadn't been available, she might not be with us today and for that I thank the gods that she was born where she was.
music to my ear
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 12:41 p.m.
where the hosp? groc store sec of state
Terry Star21
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 2:36 a.m.
We live in one of the greatest areas in America for medical and (speedy) emergency medical situations and I am so proud of all our policemen, fireman, doctors, nurses, ambulance crews, etc.
Urban Sombrero
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 2:15 a.m.
Oh, my! How exciting! Congrats to the family! And, a hearty, "Good Job!" to the firefighters that helped deliver the little tot. What a fantastic story, for all involved. I'm so glad the outcome was good! Welcome to the world, little guy! Your entrance was DEFINITELY unforgettable. For all involved! :)
obviouscomment
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 2 p.m.
Not that the firefighters don't deserve some kudos but I would say most of the work was done by the mother, Good Job to her!
nickcarraweigh
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 2:03 a.m.
Heartwarming, and so lucky the firefighters weren't up in a tree after kittens.
mady
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 2:10 p.m.
Or pulling a 20-lb. carp out of the West Park Pond.....
BornNRaised
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 1:33 p.m.
Not to the ignorant few.
mermaid72
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 1:32 p.m.
Isn't is heartwarming that some people rescue animals as well as people?
dading dont delete me bro
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 2:52 a.m.
or rescueing deer off an island.
a2citizen
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 1:48 a.m.
Great ending. The baby wasn't thrown out with the bathwater.
mady
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 2:08 p.m.
Oh, ha-ha-ha
ViSHa
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 1:58 a.m.
Ha, you beat me to it, I was thinking the same think ;)
obviouscomment
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 12:39 a.m.
LOL we recently lived there and were afraid of a similar situation happening to us...glad the baby and mother were ok and hey, she'll have a memorable story to share of her 100% natural birth! Babies never follow plans.
LAEL
Thu, Nov 15, 2012 : 12:36 a.m.
Congratulations!