Surprise delivery
Baby born in car during trip to Kentville hospital
It was an emotional time after an Annapolis Valley woman delivered her baby during the drive to hospital between Berwick and Coldbrook.
Baby Rain Amanda Taniqua Bella Ethel Olsen Johnstone had her mother on the edge of the passenger seat as she made her fast and furious entrance into this world during an unforgettable drive along Highway 101.
Rain’s mother, 17- year- old Ocean Johnstone, felt an unrelenting need to push in the hours leading up to her baby being born en route to Valley Regional Hospital around 3:45 a.m. on Tuesday.
She planned to spend the night at her boyfriend’s place in Middleton after visiting the Kentvillebased hospital earlier that evening and being sent home with a suspected urinary tract infection.
Johnstone’s mother, Amanda Sanford, said her daughter continued to feel like she had to push after having a bath, and ultimately decided return to the hospital with her boyfriend – Austin Olsen – and his mother.
A five-pound baby girl made a surprise appearance while they were driving somewhere between the highway exits for Berwick and Coldbrook.
“They were both very shocked. It was surreal for everybody – a lot of emotions,” said Sanford, who is from Greenwood.
Baby Rain, born at 32 weeks, was checked by paramedics and flown to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.
“It was very eventful and everybody seems to be doing well,” said Sanford.
“They said that she seems to be doing everything that she should be doing for her age.”
The family was told Rain, who is named after grandmothers and an aunt, would likely be monitored in the hospital for a couple of weeks before returning to Kentville. “I am very excited. It’s been overwhelming,” said Sanford, who was interviewed hours after the new addition took everyone by surprise. “She is very loved and she’s coming into a big family full of girls. I have six kids myself and five of them are girls, so she’s definitely going to fit in.”