B.C. Mother Delivers Baby in Ambulance Along Highway 24 After Going Into Labour on Way to Hospital
Emma MacLeod
11/6/20264 min read
A British Columbia mother has an unforgettable story to share about the arrival of her fourth child after giving birth in an ambulance parked along Highway 24 while travelling to a hospital in Kamloops.
Marissa Ross, a resident of Bridge Lake in the province's Interior, delivered her daughter, Remi, after going into labour unexpectedly on the evening of October 20.
Ross and her husband, Brandon, had been travelling approximately 140 kilometres to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops when they realized their baby was arriving sooner than anticipated.
With the hospital still some distance away, the couple contacted emergency services and arranged to meet an ambulance along the highway.
What followed was an unusual delivery in which Ross, a registered nurse experienced in postnatal care, helped guide the attending paramedics before delivering her daughter herself.
Despite the unexpected circumstances, both mother and baby are doing well.
Routine Doctor's Appointment Takes an Unexpected Turn
Earlier that day, Ross had attended a medical appointment in Kamloops on her expected delivery date.
According to Ross, her doctor believed she still had a couple of days before labour would begin.
Feeling reassured, she returned home to Bridge Lake, a rural community northwest of Kamloops.
That evening, Ross followed her usual family routine, putting her three sons to bed before preparing to rest.
However, her plans changed when she began experiencing labour contractions.
Recognizing that the baby was coming, Ross and her husband gathered their belongings and prepared to make the journey back to Kamloops.
The family had recently purchased a new pickup truck to accommodate their growing household, which would soon include six members.
Although the vehicle had been bought only weeks earlier, the couple had not anticipated that its first major family journey would involve an emergency trip to the hospital.
As Brandon drove along Highway 24, Ross quickly realized that labour was progressing faster than expected.
She warned her husband that they were unlikely to reach Royal Inland Hospital before the baby arrived.
Couple Calls for Help Before Losing Cell Service
The couple faced an additional challenge because of limited mobile phone coverage along portions of Highway 24.
Knowing they could lose their connection, Brandon contacted emergency services while they were still able to make a call near Lac des Roches.
Ross recalled telling her husband that the baby was arriving much sooner than expected.
Brandon responded that he would call an ambulance rather than risk having his wife deliver their daughter inside the pickup truck.
Emergency dispatchers arranged for paramedics to meet the couple along the route.
By the time the ambulance arrived, Ross was already in the back of the pickup truck and preparing to give birth.
She was transferred onto a stretcher and moved into the ambulance, where the delivery continued.
Mother Uses Nursing Experience to Guide Delivery
Ross said the paramedic assisting her was relatively new and had not yet completed obstetrics training.
The paramedic contacted a specialist for additional guidance as the delivery progressed.
Fortunately, Ross had professional experience that helped her remain composed.
As a registered nurse working in postnatal care, she was familiar with childbirth and the care of mothers and newborns.
She reassured the attending paramedics that she understood what was happening and could help them through the process.
Once inside the ambulance, Ross said she pushed one more time and delivered Remi herself.
The unexpected arrival took place along the roadside, well before the family could reach the hospital.
Rather than the delivery she had planned, Ross found herself drawing on her own medical knowledge while receiving assistance from an emergency crew.
Her calm response became a defining part of the family's unusual birth experience.
Doula Surprised by Baby's Early Arrival
Vanessa Mack, the family's birth and labour doula, had expected to support Ross during a hospital delivery in Kamloops.
Mack received a call from the couple when they left Bridge Lake and planned to meet them at Royal Inland Hospital.
However, she soon learned that Remi had already arrived.
Having attended more than 100 births, Mack said she had rarely encountered a situation quite like this one.
She praised Ross for remaining calm and helping the paramedics manage the delivery despite the unexpected location and circumstances.
Mack said the most remarkable aspect was that Ross effectively coached the ambulance attendants through her own childbirth.
For the family, what began as a routine trip to the hospital had become an extraordinary experience before they even reached Kamloops.
B.C. Paramedics Assist With Dozens of Deliveries Each Year
Although Ross's experience was unusual from her family's perspective, B.C. Emergency Health Services says ambulance and roadside births are not unheard of.
In a statement, the provincial emergency service explained that paramedics are trained to provide guidance and assistance when a baby arrives before a patient can reach a hospital.
According to the organization, B.C. paramedics assisted with the delivery of 67 babies over the previous year.
Such situations demonstrate the importance of emergency medical services for families travelling from rural communities, where reaching a hospital may require a lengthy drive.
In Ross's case, the distance between Bridge Lake and Kamloops, combined with the rapid progression of labour, meant that emergency assistance was necessary before the family could complete its journey.
The experience also highlighted the challenges presented by unreliable cellular coverage along rural highways, where contacting emergency services can require careful timing.
Family Welcomes Its Newest Member
Following the dramatic delivery, Ross and her family have returned to their normal routines, although life has become considerably busier with a newborn at home.
Remi is healthy and settling into the family, while her three older brothers are enjoying spending time with their new baby sister.
Ross described her daughter as perfect and said the family is embracing the excitement and challenges of having four children.
The experience is likely to remain a memorable part of Remi's arrival story, especially given the unusual location and her mother's hands-on role in the delivery.
For Ross and her husband, the journey that was supposed to end at Royal Inland Hospital instead became a roadside welcome for their daughter.
And while the family had carefully prepared for the arrival of its sixth member, Remi ultimately decided to make her entrance before they reached their destination.
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