Oh Baby! Mother Gives Birth In Her Own Driveway With The Help Of 1st Responders.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Timing is everything,” and it cannot be more true! Just ask this Ohio mother whose timing of when she went into labor was… definitely interesting.

Her baby didn’t wait until mom made it to the hospital. She decided to come into this world on her own time – even if that meant being delivered in her own driveway.

Alyson Michael said she started to feel stomach pain at 1:30 a.m. Already a mother to three boys, she knew what labor pain felt like, and by about 3:20 a.m., she went into active labor. She started to go downstairs in hopes that she and her husband could head to the hospital, but her daughter had other plans. 

“I was like at the bedroom door and that’s when I felt it and I was like, ‘Call 911 and get me downstairs,’ and that’s when I knew we weren’t making it,” Alyson said. “She was wanting to make an appearance. That’s for sure. She has three brothers she has to keep up with.”

Alyson’s husband, John Smith, called 911 and Medina County deputies helped her as she waited for a four-person crew from Westfield Fire and Rescue. When they arrived, one of the firefighters and EMT Brandy Crall were dispatched a message that read “4TH BABY.”

That message was the heads up for a possible delivery. Brandy was ready and focused on keeping Alyson calm as she prepared to welcome her baby.

“We made eye contact for sure and she was like, ‘I’m having this baby,'” Brandy said.

She helped the mother to an ambulance that was in the driveway, but the baby was running the show.

“She was still standing,” Brandy said. “We were not able to get her in a laying down position. I lifted up her pajama shirt and there was the head.”

It was a matter of a few minutes and Clara Mae Smith made her debut – caught by Brandy. She weighed just under 5 pounds.

“As soon as I moved the cord, she landed right in my hands,” said Brandy. “I looked at my monitor and I was like 3:47! Time of birth! That was the highlight of my career. Absolutely nothing tops it.”

Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Hall cut the umbilical cord, paramedic DeAnte Taylor supervised the baby’s delivery and Safety Officer Dave Young drove Alyson and Clare to the hospital. 

While every emergency call is different, delivering a baby in a driveway was definitely unexpected.

Alyson said she’s still processing this fact, but she is very grateful to the first responders.

“They definitely have a part in Clara’s life. That’s for sure,” Alyson said. “It’s definitely a miracle that it happened the way it did.”

Talk about an unforgettable experience! And even for one of the EMTs, it was one that became a career highlight –and we can see why.

Share this story to congratulate this family and team of responders on a job well done.