They probably didn’t cover this scenario in the classes that help new moms and dads prepare for childbirth.

On December 20, 2015, Naperville Fire Department paramedics were called to a home where a woman was about to give birth. Upon arrival, the infant’s body was delivered but the head was stuck on the mom’s pelvic bone and could not pass. The baby’s heart beat was strong.

Dr. Edward Parker of the Edward Hospital Emergency Department (ED) instructed the medics to do an episiotomy, but the baby was still unable to be completely delivered, which meant baby and mom needed to get to the hospital right away.

At that point, the baby’s pulse stopped. Edward’s staff was alerted and ready to meet the ambulance as soon as it arrived at the hospital. While on the way, a second episiotomy was performed and mom successfully delivered the baby just as they pulled up to the Edward ED.

The baby was resuscitated by an Edward team that included Dr. Hena Arora, a neonatologist with DuPage Neonatology Associates; Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurses Cindy Hoglund and Caryn Macek, and Monique Cavalcante, a Labor and Delivery nurse.v

Mom left the hospital a few days later while baby had a three-week stay in Edward’s NICU. Both are doing well.

For their efforts, Naperville Fire Department Station 9/Black Shift paramedics Amanda Bradbury, Burton Chaet, Timothy Collins, John Gabrielson, Lt. Jim Kubinski, Todd Overmyer and Sara Schmidt were presented with Edward’s 2015 EMS (Emergency Medical Services) “Run of the Year” award.

“We commend the Naperville Fire Department for their exemplary work in the field and use of lifesaving skills under intense pressure,” says Pam Davis, System CEO, Edward-Elmhurst Health. “Extraordinary teamwork, clear communication, and calm execution between the medics, our ER physician and nursing staff provided the critical care and seamless support needed for this mother and baby. This partnership is something we value and appreciate today and every day.”

The event capped off the year-long “Run of the Quarter” program in which area paramedics are honored for exceptional ambulance runs. In the “Run of the Quarter” program, the Edward EMS Team reviews ambulance runs by pre-hospital providers and selects one to be recognized every three months based on the following criteria:

• Excellent communication from the field that resulted in the timely delivery of pertinent clinical information to the Edward Emergency Department staff
• Clear and thorough documentation
• Superior clinical assessment skills that resulted in accurate recognition of a clinical situation
• Behavior exceeding the call of duty in the field
• Superior partnership and teamwork with Edward Hospital

The Edward program is modeled after Elmhurst Hospital’s “Run of the Month,” which has been honoring EMS providers in the hospital’s service area since 2012.

Learn more about emergency care and having a baby at Edward-Elmhurst Health.