A Tarkington man says he relied on memories of his other children’s births and coaching from a skilled 911 operator to help his wife deliver their son Wednesday morning.
Timothy and Rachel Magee welcomed their fourth child, son Tripp – 8 pounds and 20 inches – in the early morning hours of Wednesday in the front seat of their vehicle as they were parked at the corner of McClesky Road and US 59 in New Caney.
Timothy explained that Rachel, who was 40 weeks and one day pregnant, was set to be induced on Thursday at Memorial Hospital in The Woodlands. Around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Rachel went into labor at home, so the couple rushed to the hospital.
“We got on US 59 at the bypass in Cleveland and her water broke. I exited at Highway 242 to head to The Woodlands, but she said she wasn’t going to make it that far, so I turned back to head to Kingwood since it’s closer. We had jumped back on the highway when she said she couldn’t stop the baby from coming,” Timothy said.
Timothy pulled off the road and rushed around to his wife’s side of the vehicle to help. He called 911 and told them his wife was delivering their child in the vehicle.
“The 911 person walked me through the whole thing. They told me what to do. I think it was a medical professional because they were very helpful. I just did what she said and he came out screaming and healthy,” Timothy said.
The 911 operator explained to Timothy that it was imperative that he find something to tie the baby’s umbilical cord to separate him from his mother. Using his shoestring, Timothy tied the umbilical cord and then handed the baby to his mother.
“When the paramedics got there, they gave me a scalpel to cut the umbilical cord on the side of the road,” he said.
With Timothy following the ambulance, Rachel and Tripp were transported to Memorial Hospital in The Woodlands, where they were kept for medical evaluation before being released on Thursday.
Timothy said his wife was admirably calm throughout the whole ordeal.
“The peace of God was with her. It was very surreal. We were in the moment and I can remember it, but it didn’t feel real at that moment,” he said. “We’re just so thankful there were no difficulties. My wife had zero issues and the baby never missed a breath. You hear about all those horror stories of what could go wrong, but I know God was watching over us for sure.”
With a pandemic under way and restrictions in place at hospitals, the joy of their son’s birth couldn’t be shared with other family members until they came home on Thursday.
“Once we got to our room at the hospital, we stayed there for two days. There were no visitors. That part was different,” he said. “It’s always exciting to bring the little ones to see a new baby.”
Timothy said they are being as wise as they can with a newborn child born during a pandemic.
“We have enough faith in God that we are not walking in fear. If God chose for Tripp to come in this season, then I have faith that God is going to see him through it,” he said.