Post by Ambulance Victoria

Some babies make a dramatic entrance – and Jimmy, born on the side of a road near Shepparton, certainly did. His mum, Tayla, and dad, Jack, were on their way to hospital when they realised their baby wasn’t waiting to make his arrival into the world. Not long before midnight, Jack pulled over on the side of the road and called Triple Zero Victoria (000). With Triple Zero Victoria call-taker Monet on the phone, Tayla and Jack safely delivered baby Jimmy on the roadside. Ambulance Victoria Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics Jeremy Lia and Steph Sewell said it was a relief to learn Jimmy had been safely born while they were on their way, and their focus switched to making sure the little bub would be warm and healthy on the way to hospital. “Nobody plans to deliver their baby on the side of the road, near midnight. We turned on the heater to ensure the ambulance was as warm as it could be, before we arrived.” When Jeremy and Steph got to the scene, mum, dad and bub were all doing well, cracking jokes and grinning ear to ear. The paramedics completed a quick assessment on the roadside to make sure mum and baby weren’t in need of any critical care. “They weren’t, so we were able to focus on their comfort – getting them wrapped up in towels and blankets and moving them into the warm ambulance for a full assessment.” “We encouraged some feeding, checked mum wasn’t bleeding and monitored both of their vital signs as we transported them to hospital.” A few weeks on, Jeremy, Steph and Monet had the chance to be reintroduced to baby Jimmy. Reflecting on the dramatic birth, Jeremy described the experience as wholesome and beautiful. “The nice cases are something we often miss out on as MICA paramedics, so it was very special.” https://bit.ly/4dYpWc4