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“I Don’t Know How To Solve This”: Woman Gives Birth In Friend’s Car, Her Husband Can’t Contain His Anger
Pregnancy is full of surprises, and sometimes things just don’t go the way you plan. For some women, labor can go from feeling a bit uncomfortable to “my water just broke” in what feels like seconds.
Then there are other possibilities that you don’t account for — maybe your partner isn’t around, and maybe you don’t even think to call an ambulance because, well, who expects it to happen so suddenly.
You’d think moments like these would bring people closer and show the best of friendship and community. But a woman was in for a surprise when she unexpectedly went into labor and gave birth in her friend’s car on the way to the hospital.
But soon after the incident, the friend cut ties with her blaming her for damaging the car.
RELATED:
A woman unexpectedly went into labor in her friend’s car
Image credits: AltrendoImages (not the actual image)
They were on the way to the hospital when the baby was born in the car itself
friends start ignoring her after the unexpected event.”>
Image credits: Aditya Romansa (not the actual image)
Image credits: freepik (not the actual image)
The woman offered to pay and fix the car but the friend stopped talking to her
Image credits: freepik (not the actual image)
Image credits: ThrowRA_CarBaby
Labor can sometimes progress really quickly
Giving birth outside a hospital is rare, but it does happen. There’s even a name for it — “born before arrival,” or BBA for short, for any baby delivery that happens before a woman reaches a hospital, a birth center, or her planned homebirth with a midwife.
It can be either at home, in a public place, or in a car or ambulance while the mother is on the way to hospital.
In the past month alone, there have been several news stories from around the world — a woman gave birth beside a highway during a winter storm in Pittsburgh just two days ago. Last month, a woman delivered her baby inside a driverless Waymo taxi in San Francisco.
Labor can speed up faster than anyone expects, and sometimes women don’t have the time to get to a hospital.
Living far from a hospital, being alone, or even just misjudging the timing can become a life-changing emergency.
Research shows that about 0.5 % of all births in the UK are unplanned out‑of‑hospital deliveries, where the birth happens without a qualified midwife or obstetrician present.
Not every BBA comes with major risks, but there can be complications. Babies born outside a hospital are more likely to be premature or have a lower birth weight, which is why stories of healthy babies after a car birth should be all the more celebrated.
“One of the primary risks, for the baby, is hypothermia. This occurs when the baby’s temperature drops below 36.5°C. Newborns lose body heat quickly; BBAs can also occur in the car or outside, where it isn’t possible to create any kind of warm environment for the baby to be born into,” says Dr Laura Goodwin, an associate professor in Emergency Care, at UWE Bristol.
Her team is working to understand which women are most at risk of giving birth before arriving at hospital, and how best to make the situation easier and safer for them.
Image credits: pch.vector (not the actual image)
Support during a medical emergency can make it feel a lot less overwhelming
In unexpected births, friends, family, and even bystanders often play an important role — they might help with practical things, like driving you to the hospital, keeping the space safe if you accidently go into delivery, or making sure emergency services know what’s going on.
They can also offer emotional support and help you remain calm.
In the Reddit story, the woman went into labor while her partner was away — this wasn’t anyone’s fault because sometimes emergencies happen despite everyone’s best intentions.
What’s needed in situations like this is empathy and understanding, even after the delivery. Instead of getting angry about the car, showing care and compassion would have helped everyone navigate an intense moment together.
Image credits: DC Studio (not the actual image)
The woman answered some questions asked by readers
Some people shared their own experiences and advice with her
Comments poured in with different opinions on the issue
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What do you think ?
Upstaged75 3 weeks ago (edited)
Some people seem to have no compassion. Obviously the woman didn't mean to give birth in the car. It's not like she had a choice or knew it was going to happen on the way to the hospital. 🙄 Yes, she should pay whatever it costs to clean/replace/fix it. I don't really think she owes them a new car though - that's ridiculous. It does sound like the husband is having a temper tantrum and telling his wife she needs to cut off her friend. Which is stupid if they want her pay them. He's being a massive d!ckhead.
Bookworm 3 weeks ago
Depends on what a professional cleaning service says. As some commentors pointed out car could be totaled by this. It's a major biohazard and there's risk of anything not properly cleaned causing problems later on. If it's totaled then yes OP owes them a car. While it was an accident OP and wife should have had the foresight to keep their car available in case OP needed to go to the hospital just in case this happened on the way.
Load More Replies...
Margaret Shannon 3 weeks ago
I don’t understand the criticism this woman is receiving. She didn’t recognize signs of imminent labor because she'd been feeling discomfort for “ages.” She unintentionally made a mess, admitted the mess was her responsibility, and she offered (“lighthearted but sincere”) to make it right. Sure, she would probably have been wiser to summon an ambulance but she didn’t. She might not have been thinking clearly (because baby brain, or excitement, or…), the friend may have dissuaded her (“it's no trouble, I'll take you), or she may be a victim of US health uncaring. Don’t know. The point is she tried to make it right, has not refused any reasonable request, and the car owners have refused to discuss the matter and have blocked further contact. What the aitch-eee-double-hockey-sticks is she supposed to do?
Heffalump 3 weeks ago (edited)
'Friends' are really not friends at all. And insurance should cover the cleanup, she should only cover the deductible. And that is the only thing she needs to do. She certainly needs to have nothing to do with them in future.
person (i think) 3 weeks ago
If insurance covers the cleaning, then the insurance costs will go up afterwards, costing extra money every month
Load More Replies... FreeTheUnicorn 3 weeks ago
If you give a woman in labor a ride on your car this is a distinct possibility. Either call an ambulance or deal with the consequences. At least everyone's ok. I used to be an EMT and unless you're in some special circumstances remote area and you're driving to meet an ambulance, always call. Birth and labor are dangerous in hospital conditions.
Margaret Shannon 3 weeks ago
Umm, especially in a third-world state like Georgia where maternal death rates exceed those of Turkmenistan. And I mean Georgia, USA. The nation of Georgia is probably doing better than we are. Though I would assume that birth and labor are dangerous *outside* hospital conditions as well.
Load More Replies...
Roberta Surprenant 3 weeks ago
The OP wrote that she offered to pay for a rental, yet so many comments ignore that.
Svenne O'Lotta 3 weeks ago
Everybody is insane on Reddit. How the fúck do you want her to fix the situation when these utter children won't talk to her?!
The_Nicest_Misanthrope 3 weeks ago (edited)
Oh yeah, sorry about your seat covers - I'll just shove baby back up there, shall I? 😤🙄 I weep for us as a species...
Damdifino 3 weeks ago
Sheesh. This has been blown way, WAY out of proportion. It's a flippin' car, for crissakes. Cars are replaceable. Babies are forever. The miracle of life was just witnessed in the backseat of the family car. That's kind of a big deal. How many babies are created that way?! This kid will grow up to be someone special and the whole car foofaraw will be long forgotten. Get on with your lives. And the husband sounds like a total tool.
Chris the Bobcat 3 weeks ago
It's not a "hold it in" kind of situation. Things happen. She offered to pay for the damages. She got snubbed and blocked for her trouble. If that was me, that would be the immediate end to the friendship and nope, not getting any reimbursement either. She did her part and was blocked. So, all future discussions and transactions are null and void.
Janissary35680 3 weeks ago
Which insurance? Auto comprehensive or human healthcare? (Rimshot)
Load More Replies... 
Fellfromthemoon 3 weeks ago
'Alice' might've been caught between a rock and a hard place. If she felt she had no other options than to carry a woman actively in labor in her car, or risking the life of two people (mother and fetus), she was 'morally forced' to wittness the traumatic event of birth and the total ruin of her car. Calling an ambulance is a solution if they are reliably at the address within 10-15 minutes. If the average wait for an ambulance is an hour or even more, then that is out of question. Anyhow, Alice did her duty, new mom should leave her alone if that is her wish, just find a way to send Alice the money. If Alice is traumatized and thinks OP was irresponsibly unprepared, then her silence is very much understandable (and her solution to let her hubby answer the umpteenth message.)
Bookworm 3 weeks ago
OP and wife planned very poorly. They should have either planned to call an ambulance if OP went into labor while wife was gone or wife should have rented a car so OP and Alice could take theirs in case she went into labor. While delivering in the car wasn't planned it doesn't negate the fact that OP and wife didn't have a plan in place for this reasonably predictable situation (going into labor while wife was gone). I'd be upset too if I felt like I had to use my car to transport OP, was out the use of my car, didn't know if it was salvageable or not, if not whether insurance would cover it, and then OP makes a seemingly joke about paying for cleaning it. Like it wasn't the scene of a major biohazard accident.
Natalia 3 weeks ago
She offered to pay more than once and even offered to pay for a hire car, if her "friend" won't talk to her there's f all OP can do.
Load More Replies... Upstaged75 3 weeks ago (edited)
Some people seem to have no compassion. Obviously the woman didn't mean to give birth in the car. It's not like she had a choice or knew it was going to happen on the way to the hospital. 🙄 Yes, she should pay whatever it costs to clean/replace/fix it. I don't really think she owes them a new car though - that's ridiculous. It does sound like the husband is having a temper tantrum and telling his wife she needs to cut off her friend. Which is stupid if they want her pay them. He's being a massive d!ckhead.
Bookworm 3 weeks ago
Depends on what a professional cleaning service says. As some commentors pointed out car could be totaled by this. It's a major biohazard and there's risk of anything not properly cleaned causing problems later on. If it's totaled then yes OP owes them a car. While it was an accident OP and wife should have had the foresight to keep their car available in case OP needed to go to the hospital just in case this happened on the way.
Load More Replies... Margaret Shannon 3 weeks ago
I don’t understand the criticism this woman is receiving. She didn’t recognize signs of imminent labor because she'd been feeling discomfort for “ages.” She unintentionally made a mess, admitted the mess was her responsibility, and she offered (“lighthearted but sincere”) to make it right. Sure, she would probably have been wiser to summon an ambulance but she didn’t. She might not have been thinking clearly (because baby brain, or excitement, or…), the friend may have dissuaded her (“it's no trouble, I'll take you), or she may be a victim of US health uncaring. Don’t know. The point is she tried to make it right, has not refused any reasonable request, and the car owners have refused to discuss the matter and have blocked further contact. What the aitch-eee-double-hockey-sticks is she supposed to do?
Heffalump 3 weeks ago (edited)
'Friends' are really not friends at all. And insurance should cover the cleanup, she should only cover the deductible. And that is the only thing she needs to do. She certainly needs to have nothing to do with them in future.
person (i think) 3 weeks ago
If insurance covers the cleaning, then the insurance costs will go up afterwards, costing extra money every month
Load More Replies... FreeTheUnicorn 3 weeks ago
If you give a woman in labor a ride on your car this is a distinct possibility. Either call an ambulance or deal with the consequences. At least everyone's ok. I used to be an EMT and unless you're in some special circumstances remote area and you're driving to meet an ambulance, always call. Birth and labor are dangerous in hospital conditions.
Margaret Shannon 3 weeks ago
Umm, especially in a third-world state like Georgia where maternal death rates exceed those of Turkmenistan. And I mean Georgia, USA. The nation of Georgia is probably doing better than we are. Though I would assume that birth and labor are dangerous *outside* hospital conditions as well.
Load More Replies... Roberta Surprenant 3 weeks ago
The OP wrote that she offered to pay for a rental, yet so many comments ignore that.
Svenne O'Lotta 3 weeks ago
Everybody is insane on Reddit. How the fúck do you want her to fix the situation when these utter children won't talk to her?!
The_Nicest_Misanthrope 3 weeks ago (edited)
Oh yeah, sorry about your seat covers - I'll just shove baby back up there, shall I? 😤🙄 I weep for us as a species...
Damdifino 3 weeks ago
Sheesh. This has been blown way, WAY out of proportion. It's a flippin' car, for crissakes. Cars are replaceable. Babies are forever. The miracle of life was just witnessed in the backseat of the family car. That's kind of a big deal. How many babies are created that way?! This kid will grow up to be someone special and the whole car foofaraw will be long forgotten. Get on with your lives. And the husband sounds like a total tool.
Chris the Bobcat 3 weeks ago
It's not a "hold it in" kind of situation. Things happen. She offered to pay for the damages. She got snubbed and blocked for her trouble. If that was me, that would be the immediate end to the friendship and nope, not getting any reimbursement either. She did her part and was blocked. So, all future discussions and transactions are null and void.
Janissary35680 3 weeks ago
Which insurance? Auto comprehensive or human healthcare? (Rimshot)
Load More Replies... Fellfromthemoon 3 weeks ago
'Alice' might've been caught between a rock and a hard place. If she felt she had no other options than to carry a woman actively in labor in her car, or risking the life of two people (mother and fetus), she was 'morally forced' to wittness the traumatic event of birth and the total ruin of her car. Calling an ambulance is a solution if they are reliably at the address within 10-15 minutes. If the average wait for an ambulance is an hour or even more, then that is out of question. Anyhow, Alice did her duty, new mom should leave her alone if that is her wish, just find a way to send Alice the money. If Alice is traumatized and thinks OP was irresponsibly unprepared, then her silence is very much understandable (and her solution to let her hubby answer the umpteenth message.)
Bookworm 3 weeks ago
OP and wife planned very poorly. They should have either planned to call an ambulance if OP went into labor while wife was gone or wife should have rented a car so OP and Alice could take theirs in case she went into labor. While delivering in the car wasn't planned it doesn't negate the fact that OP and wife didn't have a plan in place for this reasonably predictable situation (going into labor while wife was gone). I'd be upset too if I felt like I had to use my car to transport OP, was out the use of my car, didn't know if it was salvageable or not, if not whether insurance would cover it, and then OP makes a seemingly joke about paying for cleaning it. Like it wasn't the scene of a major biohazard accident.
Natalia 3 weeks ago
She offered to pay more than once and even offered to pay for a hire car, if her "friend" won't talk to her there's f all OP can do.
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