Woman Singlehandedly Makes All Of Our Birth Stories Boring By Giving Birth At Zoo

Everyone loves to regale their friends and families with birth stories – assuming they weren’t too horrifying.  The woman who gave birth in front of the bear exhibit at the Syracuse Zoo today is going to be hard-pressed to find someone who can outdo her birth tale.

Lucky for this woman, there was someone around who knew how to take control of such a situation. Zoo Education Coordinator Liz Schmidt was nearby, teaching a group of kids and their parents about reindeer, when a call came through that a woman was in labor in front of the bear exhibit.

The Syracuse Post-Standard reports:

As a first responder, Schmidt has taken courses in all aspects of first aid, including delivering babies. But she doesn’t carry medical equipment or blankets with her on her daily job.

”I honestly didn’t expect her to deliver at the zoo,” Schmidt said this afternoon. ”I thought we’d pop her in a wheelchair and she’d be good to go to the hospital.”

As women in labor often find out, the baby had other plans. The little girl wanted to go to the zoo. Aww! By the time Schmidt arrived on the scene, the mother was already giving birth.  Zoo staff kept the mother and baby warm until an ambulance arrived.

I’ve heard some crazy birth stories in my time, but this one pretty much takes the cake. Kind of puts my emergency C-section to shame. This woman is going to have a captive audience at cocktail parties until the end of time.  I can’t wait to hear what she names the little girl.

Mother and daughter were taken to a local hospital. Hospital representatives declined to discuss their condition, out of respect for their privacy. I think I’d want a little extra privacy if I had just given birth in front of a bear cage, too. Once she emerges from the shock, she’ll realize she has the coolest birth story ever.

(photo: Radomir/ Shutterstock.com)