Thanks to the quick help of several doctors, nurses and staff members, parents Sam and Austin Sadler safely delivered their second son, River, in the parking lot of Buena Vista Regional Medical Center on Wednesday morning.
“I'm just thankful there were people who happened to be in the right spot at the right time,” Sam said. “They knew just what to do.”
Living in Battle Creek, the Sadlers have a 45-mile commute to BVRMC. When they arrrived at the hospital around 7:50 a.m., River was so eager to be born that he didn’t even wait for his parents to enter the hospital. Within minutes–still in the Sadler’s vehicle in the BVRMC parking lot–River made his grand entrance.
“I said, ‘The head is coming,’” Sam recounted. “I was pulling my pants down and my husband goes, ‘No, it's not.’ We flew into the parking lot, and he looked over and said, ‘Yes, it is.’”
There were several helping hands when the Sadlers arrived at the hospital. Many BVRMC staff members and nurses were quick to sweep in and provide assistance.
Although BVRMC’s patient access staff are usually the first to welcome patients to BVRMC, they are not usually the first to welcome babies into the world. For the Sadlers, however, the patient access staff were the first at the scene providing assistance, grabbing blankets and calling nurses down for additional support.
As nurses rushed down to help, they passed Dr. Ken Chapman and brought him along to provide care to the Sadlers. The Sadlers’ obstetrician, Dr. Sabrina Martinez, also quickly arrived and stepped in to support the delivery.
“For about five minutes, it was quite a whirlwind,” Austin said.
Although the delivery felt like a blur for the Sadlers, they remember how quickly nurses arrived. “The nurses just kept showing up,” Austin said.
“Our entire team at BVRMC, from the front door all the way up to patient rooms, is always prepared to provide care,” said Jeanette Todd, BVRMC First Embrace Obstetrics Director. “We are incredibly grateful for our staff’s quick action and expertise, ensuring a safe and memorable delivery for the Sadlers. Every birth story is unique, but no matter the circumstances, our team is committed to making sure families feel supported, safe and cared for—just like the Sadlers did during their unforgettable experience.”
Their adventure started around 5:30 a.m., when Sam noticed she was having contractions. Shortly after 6 a.m., they called BVRMC’s First Embrace Obstetrics department to ask if they should come in, knowing the drive to the hospital would take time. After making sure their 2½-year-old son, Ranger, and their dogs were taken care of, they started their drive shortly after 7 a.m.
“He goes, ‘Don't be alarmed, I'm going to drive really fast,’” Sam said.
With their first child, their experience was vastly different. After being induced, Ranger made his appearance 47 hours later. With River, they were not expecting him to arrive around 2½ hours after her first contractions.
While Sam’s due date was March 4, she had been hopeful for an earlier delivery–specifically for Wednesday.
“I’ve said, ‘February 26 sounds like a great day to have a baby,’” Sam said. “She’s been saying that for several weeks,” Austin added.
“I've enjoyed getting to know Sam and Austin throughout this pregnancy. We had been planning for a different birth experience than with her last child, but this was certainly not part of our plan!” Dr. Martinez said. “Even so, it was incredible to see our team come together so seamlessly for the Sadler family. River’s arrival was certainly one to remember, and I’m so glad we could be part of such a joyful experience.”
