BARBERTON, Ohio — A Barberton baby— less than a week old— will have a great birthday story to share as he gets older.
Kai Shawn Winston was in a hurry to come into this world and Barberton firefighters were happy to oblige, delivering the baby inside a home on Robinson Avenue last Thursday.
The baby's mother, Mariah Foster, said she'll be forever grateful to the firefighters who made the special delivery around 8 a.m.
"I am beyond, beyond grateful and thankful that they were able to help me because without them, I don't think I would be able to do it the rest of the way," Foster said.
Lt. Larry Heiple said it started out as just another ordinary day at the fire department. He had just poured his morning cup of coffee when Foster placed a call to 911 and said the baby was coming.
"Please hurry!" she told the operator. The dispatcher asked Foster how far along she was. She responded, "I'm 35 weeks and I can feel his head."
Hieple and Captain Duane Milford were part of a team of Barberton firefighters/paramedics who rushed to the home just down the road from the fire station.
Foster, who was not scheduled to have a C-section until next month, thought she was having Braxton-Hicks contractions, but her water broke and she realized the baby's head was crowning.
"When I went down to touch, I felt his head crowing," she told News 5. "I was terrified and I was very scared. I did not think that was going to happen that way."
Upon arrival, Hieple quickly realized the baby wasn't in the mood to wait for a hospital transport.
"When we arrived, I was first in and I knew right away that we were going to have an imminent birth," he said.
Heiple and Milford didn't hesitate and grabbed an OB kit.
"It's got clamps. It has a scalpel to cut the cord. It has wraps for the baby," Milford said.
The firefighters reassured Foster and with just a couple of pushes within a few minutes, Kai Shawn was born on a couch.
"It was nice to hear that first cry also because then you know, alright, everything is good," Milford said.
Kai Shawn, who weighs less than five pounds, remains in the NICU at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. Foster said he's doing well and could go home to Barberton within a week.
The Barberton Fire Department responds to about 5,200 calls each year. Labor runs are not unusual, but for the veteran firefighters, it marked the first time they've been part of an actual delivery on a call.
It's a moment both Foster and the firefighters will always remember.
"Just very blessed to be there, it's wonderful to see something good happen," Milford said.
Both firefighters said they're happy to hear mom and baby are doing well and they hope to meet up with the family again soon under less stressful circumstances.
"It's a great way to start the morning. You go from drinking a cup of coffee to delivering a baby," Heipel said. "What's better than that?"
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