Former Nurse gives birth on train, refuses help

mjmcwo · Aug 1, 2003

I have seen some strange and scary things on the "T" when commuting but the woman giving birth and then trying to run away grabbing the placenta as she went is truely a troubled woman. she was apologizing for the mess and trying to clean up and didnt want anyone to help her. I hope she lets someone help her now.

Furball · Aug 1, 2003

If she were a former nurse then she's used to not being allowed to call off work for ANY reason...maybe she was on her way to work....

SmilingBluEyes · Aug 1, 2003

OMG furball you crack me up!!!! Thanks for the laughs...

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2003

I think the key here is that she is a "former nurse". Looks like there was a good reason for that!

colleen10 · Aug 1, 2003

Tee Heee Heeeeee,

And she thought she could make it to the hospital in time because she was so used to holding her pee for an entire shift!!!

gypsyatheart · Aug 1, 2003

You know, I have to say, after I read the article a 2nd time, that whole scenario is horrifying! I am not saying that the woman wasn't acting "bizarre", BUT, come on, the article acts like she did something criminal!

I have been an L&D nurse for 10 yrs and I can tell you sometimes babies are born very precipitously, especially once the water breaks, one can expect that a baby might soon follow. And, certainly, she had no control over her water breaking.

I also do not trust "media reports/accounts" of these types of things. We all know how they can distort the facts.

As for the witnesses, well, I can tell you, MOST people ARE freaked out about by a woman in labor/imminent delivery. Even medical people, heck, our own ER won't touch a pregnant patient much else deliver her(no offense to ER nurses, :) ).

And, perhaps this woman, was embarrassed to death, maybe she is a very private person, who didn't want or need a bunch of strangers gawking and staring at her.

I can only put myself in her shoes, having had 2 precip deliveries in the last 3 yrs! I feel sorry for her, she obviously is having a hard time, but why didn't they have an ambulance waiting for her, instead of just some "official"? What's he supposed to do anyway? And then to have the police take her baby, and lock her in the back of the police vehicle??!! OMG, that is horrible, in my opinion.

Sorry for the rant, but I think this could've been handled differently. I have had women deliver on the sidewalk, the lobby floor, taxicabs, etc, so it's not that unusual to deliver outside of a hospital.

Much more here than meets the eye... JMHO

geekgolightly, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2003

Originally posted by moondancer
And, perhaps this woman, was embarrassed to death, maybe she is a very private person, who didn't want or need a bunch of strangers gawking and staring at her.
I can only put myself in her shoes, having had 2 precip deliveries in the last 3 yrs! I feel sorry for her, she obviously is having a hard time, but why didn't they have an ambulance waiting for her, instead of just some "official"? What's he supposed to do anyway? And then to have the police take her baby, and lock her in the back of the police vehicle??!! OMG, that is horrible, in my opinion.
Sorry for the rant, but I think this could've been handled differently. I have had women deliver on the sidewalk, the lobby floor, taxicabs, etc, so it's not that unusual to deliver outside of a hospital.
Much more here than meets the eye... JMHO

I was thinking the same thing, especially about the fact that she might be a very private person who does not ask for help and it's true that bystanders can;t do much more than gawk. Which they did anyways.

Putting myself in her shoes, trying to feel why I would do something like this leads me to believe that she was ashamed for some reason. I don;t know why. it sounds as if she is very poor and has probably had to do much on her own for so long that accepting help seems like a foreign concept.

Her behavior is bizarre in as that she was standing while the baby was coming out. Wouldn;t someone feel that? LD nurse, I leave that to you...

gypsyatheart · Aug 1, 2003

geekgolightly:

Well, a lot of women actually do labor in the standing position, but if your water breaks and that bag is all that's holding that baby back, is suddenly gone, boom, here comes baby! It can happen VERY quickly. And, yes, you do suddenly "feel" something, but I'm not sure what she could've done about it within the minute or two it sounds like maybe she had...throw herself down on the floor??? Plus, at that stage of labor, you aren't exactly thinking with the clarity you would normally have. Perhaps she was doing all she could just to "keep it together", then boom her water breaks, baby is born, and they certainly are slippery little suckers, I'm not surprised he/she slid onto the floor!

I just feel like the whole thing could've been handled better...of course the media is making her out to be "some monster". And last time I checked it's not illegal to live in a motel...I doubt this lady is thrilled with her situation either, but at least she's keeping her kids off the street...

I wish her well at this point.

ulianka · Aug 2, 2003

Absolutely agree with moondancer. The woman most probably WAS in a state of shock, but the "criminal" side of her actions is very questionable. This woman needs a social worker, psycologist and a lots and lots of help from the rest of the society.

roxannekkb · Aug 2, 2003

It sounds like she may have been denying her pregnancy. Her mother said that she only admitted being pregnant a month ago. Women can get very depressed during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period, so that could be one reason. And obviously, something must have happened in her life that she is no longer working as a nurse, no longer has a valid license, and living in a motel.

I'm glad that social services stepped in because it sounds like she is in need of help, and hopefully she and her family will get it.

Brownms46 · Aug 2, 2003

What I got from this story, was this woman thought she could make it to the hospital for help. She was obviously in a state of shock, to have a her water break on the train...no less! The stares...when she probably just wanted to be invisible at that point!

I would think she would have felt ashamed and embrassed. Obviously this was a strong woman...but one who was probably depressed also.

To me if seems she was just trying to disappear...to handle things herself, and didn't wish to bother anyone, and didn't wish to involve anyone in her problems. And yes she most definitely was in denial.

My heart goes out to her, and her children. I'm also glad that SS has stepped.

Brownms46 · Aug 2, 2003

Originally posted by moondancer
You know, I have to say, after I read the article a 2nd time, that whole scenario is horrifying! I am not saying that the woman wasn't acting "bizarre", BUT, come on, the article acts like she did something criminal!
I have been an L&D nurse for 10 yrs and I can tell you sometimes babies are born very precipitously, especially once the water breaks, one can expect that a baby might soon follow. And, certainly, she had no control over her water breaking.
I also do not trust "media reports/accounts" of these types of things. We all know how they can distort the facts.
As for the witnesses, well, I can tell you, MOST people ARE freaked out about by a woman in labor/imminent delivery. Even medical people, heck, our own ER won't touch a pregnant patient much else deliver her(no offense to ER nurses, :) ).
And, perhaps this woman, was embarrassed to death, maybe she is a very private person, who didn't want or need a bunch of strangers gawking and staring at her.
I can only put myself in her shoes, having had 2 precip deliveries in the last 3 yrs! I feel sorry for her, she obviously is having a hard time, but why didn't they have an ambulance waiting for her, instead of just some "official"? What's he supposed to do anyway? And then to have the police take her baby, and lock her in the back of the police vehicle??!! OMG, that is horrible, in my opinion.
Sorry for the rant, but I think this could've been handled differently. I have had women deliver on the sidewalk, the lobby floor, taxicabs, etc, so it's not that unusual to deliver outside of a hospital.
Much more here than meets the eye... JMHO

Sorry I didn't read your post before I posted. I had been thinking about this story for awhile before I finally decided to add my .02 cents. But I totally agree with you!