A married couple who both work as nurses had an unexpected experience as they were flying from their home in the United Kingdom to their vacation destination of the Philippines, where they ended up helping to deliver a premature baby. Sheryl and Ruel Pascua described their role in helping the mother, who was only six months pregnant, to give birth.
Sheryl said that when they heard the on-flight call for medical assistance, both she and Ruel, as well as another nurse on board, responded. After cabin staff constructed a makeshift tent around the woman, Sheryl checked the laboring mom, only to discover that the woman was about to give birth. “When I attempted to conduct the internal examination, I was surprised and thrilled that the mother was already at the crowning stage,” Sheryl said. “I shouted for Ruel to help and within a few moments to coach and prepare her, the baby boy came out. He caught the baby whilst I attended and focused on the mother and the placental delivery.”
READ: Midwife helps save premature baby’s life during roadside delivery
She noted, though, that due to the premature baby’s small size, the birth was harrowing. “I was a bit nervous as it was pretty scary and beyond every medical personnel’s comfort,” she admitted. “The baby was only roughly 24 weeks old so the size was the same size as the palm of my husband; he was very tiny. This is the first time I helped a mother on a flight and the medical equipment is not complete so we had to improvise and be of critical thinking.”
They gave the baby oxygen, but the rest of the flight was tense, as there was no way to offer him the immediate medical attention he needed. It was nine hours before the plane was able to land.
“Everybody on board was praying,” Sheryl said.
When the plane landed, the mother and her premature infant were rushed to the hospital. Sheryl said that she has been in contact with the woman, who told her that the baby was initially placed on a ventilator, but is now doing well.
“It was the most thrilling, exciting and at the same time the most humbling experience of me and my husband in our entire nursing profession. We attend to patients’ needs three to four times a week but this experience is so different and unique,” she said.
“I am so honoured and privileged that God has orchestrated these things to happen and use me, my husband, and Carlos Abungan, another nurse from London, to save the baby and mother for the whole entire nine-hour journey.”
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