NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A carefully planned birth took an unexpected turn for the Thomas family in East Nashville, as they found themselves delivering their baby in a hospital parking garage. The harrowing experience has left them with a remarkable tale to share.
Josh and Jena Thomas, experienced parents with a nearly 3-year-old daughter, had meticulously crafted a birth plan. Their intention was to labor at home for a while, proceed to the birthing center, and ultimately have an unmediated birth—a plan mirroring their previous birthing experience with their daughter, which had taken 29 hours. The couple believed they had ample time to execute this plan.
Initially, everything seemed to go according to this script. Labor commenced slowly, prompting a visit to the hospital. Subsequently, they returned home to await further progress. In the early morning hours, Jena sensed the need to return to the hospital, prompting their departure from their East Nashville residence at 4:30 a.m.
As Jena’s contractions intensified, she requested that Josh pause the car with each contraction to provide some relief. Remarkably, it appeared that the traffic lights were in sync with her contractions, turning green just as they approached. Everything seemed to be going exceptionally well until it suddenly wasn’t.
Halfway through their journey on the interstate, a severe contraction struck Jena, and her water broke. It was unequivocally “go time.” A sense of urgency gripped them both.
Josh recalls the moment when Jena urgently declared that her water had broken. He accelerated to 100 mph down the interstate, onto Charlotte Avenue, and into the parking garage at Ascension St. Thomas Hospital, determined to make it to the obstetrics emergency entrance on the third floor.
Jena fought the urge to push while speeding towards the hospital. When they reached the garage, Josh urged her to walk inside, but she refused, declaring, “I cannot do that.” Without hesitation, Josh dashed to the door, shouting, “There’s a baby coming in the car right now,” and then he swiftly left the vehicle.
Josh’s frantic cry for help brought a surge of medical professionals to their aid. The garage was soon surrounded by nurses, all focused on taking care of Jena in this extraordinary situation.
Amid the chaos, Jena found solace in the song playing from her birthing playlist, with lyrics that seemed to capture the moment: “It’s nothing short of a miracle that I’m here.” The medical team went to work, and when they handed her the baby, she looked up and saw the entrance to the emergency room, teeming with nurses and doctors. She felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for their timely arrival.
This unforgettable experience is one that will be recounted throughout their son Jackson’s life. It’s a story of an unexpected and challenging setting, the heroic efforts of those who came to their aid, the courage of the parents, and the unanticipated blessing that emerged from it all.
Josh summed up the experience, saying, “That’s my biggest takeaway. I think it’s a miracle. I think it’s God.”
