Oceanside police officers and Vista firefighters pose with the newborn in Oceanside. Photo courtesy of Oceanside Police Department

OCEANSIDE–Oceanside police officers came to the rescue of a pregnant woman who gave birth off a roadway in Oceanside Monday morning.

Oceanside police received a 911 call shortly after 7:30 a.m. from a man who stated he was on his way to the hospital with his pregnant wife who was in labor. He stated he was unsure if they were going to make it to the hospital. A few moments later the man reported that his wife was giving birth and he was pulling his vehicle to the shoulder in the area of Vista Way and Rancho Del Oro. Officers Brett Shields and Chris Marr were responding to the location to aid the woman.  

Upon arriving, Officer Marr rushed to the passenger side of the vehicle to contact the pregnant mother while Officer Shields grabbed a medic kit (former EMT and Life Guard for the City of Santa Clarita). Officer Marr began reassuring the mother and observed the baby’s feet become exposed. Within moments the mother had delivered the baby, Officer Shields swaddled the newborn in gauze and the child was placed on the mother’s chest. As soon as the infant felt her mother, she began to breathe and cry. Oceanside firefighters arrived and used a delivery kit to cut the umbilical and collect the placenta.

The father and mother are doing fine and are the parents of a healthy baby girl, they were transported to Tri-City Medical Center for a follow-up.