Woman Gives Birth in Taxi Cab

on October 26, 2009 at 7:00 AM

nyc taxi At 31 weeks, I'm starting to think about where I will be when it's time for my twins to be born. If I'm at work, I'm actually a short walk away from the hospital. If I'm at home, it's a drive over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan and uptown, which could take anywhere from 10 to over 30 minutes depending on traffic.

Last week, one NYC woman had her baby in a taxi.

Sally Schuiling, 35, and her husband Addison Proctor, 36, hailed a cab to NYU Medical Center (same hospital as me!) from their Upper West Side apartment. Somewhere along the short route, the baby was born in the taxi.

Sally pushed and Alice Adeline Proctor entered the world.

"I scooped her up and put her on my chest, and she was breathing right away," the first time mom told the New York Post.

OK, I find this story incredible because it seems like mama had little to no pain. Maybe the concern of making it to the hospital actually diverted any fear of childbirth she may have had? Kind of like what I've learned about hypnobirthing -- you remove the fear and you can remove the pain. Who knows. But what a great story!

Do you worry about where you will be when your baby is ready to be born?

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Surprise! You're Having a Home Birth

Pregnancy Fear: Baby's Face Cut During C-Section

About the author Michele Zipp

loves vintage and will defend skinny jeans to the death though she is highly superstitious and "death" is probably a bad word choice. She has a touch of the hoarding disease and enjoys sleuthing, the worst reality shows, and wearing high heels, even at the playground. She's an AP mom of twins, slightly crunchy but with a pedicure.

Filed Under: delivery, in the news, labor, labor & delivery

Comments (4)

DreaKevAiyana

on Oct 26, 2009 at 10:57 AM

eh, I wasn't too worried the first time where I would have my daughter, and now that I'm planning a homebirth for this baby, it's probably the last thing on my mind.

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doulala

on Oct 26, 2009 at 2:58 PM

I really support homebirth for those who are healthy and interested~ this is one of the many reasons why!
Babies are born on the roadside (happened around here not too long ago), and on the front stairs of an apartment (uhhg, my friend). Women are meant to birth their babies, it's not an emergency, the mom isn't ill. These examples help to remind me of that.

Not everyone is ready for a homebirth, but hearing about these stories can remind moms that they don't NEED interventions and doctors, they can do it all, no matter what! :-)

skylarcheyenne

on Oct 28, 2009 at 9:42 AM

I had my daughter in my hallway. It wasn't planned that way and it was the scariest thing ever when your husband has to deliver your child and its your first time having a baby. There was nothing scarier then that moment.

zackaroosmom

on Oct 28, 2009 at 10:33 PM

Not anymore. My husband delievered our last child and it was amazing. Out of my 3 births, being at home was the less painful one by far. I believe if you remove the fear it doesn't hurt because you're relaxed.