Utah baby delivered in a hospital parking lot

BOUNTIFUL — One baby in Bountiful couldn’t wait to get into the hospital before making an entrance. 

On Tuesday morning, Tami Timothy, the Director of Specialty Services for the hospital, was making her way into work as normal when she heard something strange. Timothy heard noises that sounded like someone was in pain.

Timothy has been an ER nurse for over 20 years and has become familiar with sounds of straining, discomfort, and pain… when they come from inside the hospital. However, this was in the parking lot outside.

She followed the noises and found Shelby, an expecting mother who had gone into labor in the back seat of her car. Her husband had just gone into the hospital to get help.

Tami rushed inside, grabbed a wheelchair, and returned to Shelby’s car. She helped Shelby into the wheelchair and began to hurry her towards the hospital entrance. But the “baby had other plans!”

“Shelby said the baby was here NOW and she needed to start pushing,” the hospital said on Facebook. 

Although Tami has never delivered a baby entirely on her own, she shifted into action. 

Lakeview Hospital said Tami called on her 22 years of experience in the ER and with a cool head, she guided Shelby and delivered a baby girl in the middle of the parking lot.

Shelby and her husband Timothy named their 7 lbs 14 oz., 20 1/2 inch, newborn baby Olivia. Shelby expressed immense gratitude to Tami for her help. Shelby said she is certain she would’ve had to deliver the baby entirely on her own if Tami hadn’t shown up.

The staff at Lakeview Hospital believe fate may have had something to do with this chance encounter. Tami was accidentally 30 minutes early to work. She was heading in for a meeting that was actually scheduled for 30 minutes later.

Baby Olivia joined her two older sisters making Shelby and Timothy’s third child.