Before you completely lose it the next time you’re stuck in EDSA’s traffic, remember that you probably have it easier than this woman.
26-year-old Cheoui de Leon did not expect to give birth on Saturday, much less welcome her second child inside a Toyota Vios sedan. But that’s exactly what happened when she and her fiance got caught in EDSA’s traffic while rushing to the hospital.
EDSA is Metro Manila’s main highway and is notorious for being jam-packed most of the time.
In a Facebook message to Coconuts Manila, de Leon shared that she came from a checkup with her OB-GYN at around 12nn that day and learned that she was already 2 centimeters dilated even though she was not due to give birth for three more weeks.
This did not alarm her much, however, and said that she still managed to host a baby shower that same afternoon at around 5pm.
She started to feel contractions at 6pm but did not think her baby was going to come out soon.
“I was even able to say goodbye to our guests,” de Leon said in her message, laughing.
At 7pm, de Leon and her fiance Luis Bernabe left her house in West Crame, San Juan to head to the Dr. Jesus Delgado Memorial Hospital in Quezon City, about 4.5 kilometers away.
They passed EDSA, thinking traffic flow would be better there, but de Leon said the trip was longer than usual.
“Supposedly, it only takes 15 – 20 minutes, but it took us 30 – 40 [minutes] because of the traffic,” she said in English and Filipino.
She was in labor while on the packed highway and only arrived at the hospital at around 7:40pm. However, her baby was ready to pop out by then and could not wait for the delivery room.
“When we reached the ramp of the E.R., my fiancé was able to catch the baby just in time when my water broke. She slid out along with the water,” de Leon said.
“I tried to stay calm and went with the flow. When she was out, I held her in my arms and waited for aid to come and assist.”
They named their daughter Sabrina Leaouis.
De Leon said that she is thankful God did not leave them during the unexpected and intense moment.
“I knew it was a crazy idea and only happen[s] in movies. I still hoped that we make it, but nope, I was wrong. I was very worried of what could happen if I give birth in the car,” she said.
She shared her “birthing story” on Facebook the next day with photos of her family, all smiles.
