Oxford Daycare Worker Delivers Baby on the Job
In what became a day to remember at Oxford Kinder Academy, daycare worker Santerrica Clay stepped into an unexpected role of delivering her colleague’s baby, out-of-the-blue. The momentous episode unfurled on an unsuspecting Thursday morning.
A Surprising Situation Unveils
A former student at Oxford High and Northwest Community College, Clay, who is also a mother of two, was perhaps the best fit to arise as an impromptu midwife amidst the scenario. Clay recalled her co-worker Tekeyiah Taylor complaining about enduring some pain that day. Even though she was recommended to take things easy and stay seated, Taylor’s discomfort quickly accelerated into labor.
A Quick Reaction
Irked by her increasing ordeal, Taylor texted Clay around 9:30 AM, informing her of her intentions to head home to rest before a scheduled afternoon appointment. This was promptly followed by another message around 9:45 AM that upped the stakes. Taylor, from the bathroom, sent a distress message that she needed to drive herself to the hospital instantly. However, within a matter of moments, came another text stating that she believed her baby was on its way.
Emerging as an Unanticipated Midwife
Responding to the urgency, Clay reached Taylor post haste, only to confirm with a quick glance that the baby was indeed coming. She promptly asked Brother Williams, the church pastor, for some towels and blankets, and requested her co-workers to hold Taylor steady. The delivery was successfully accomplished within ten minutes, producing a healthy baby boy even before the arrival of the dispatched ambulance.
An Unusual Experience on the Job
An awestruck Clay later shared, “I knew the baby had to come. I’ve never experienced anything like this at all. Not even with my own kids.” Resources were instantaneously mobilized, and the church’s daycare center emerged as a spontaneous childbirth ward, much to the astonishment of its workers, one of them being the Daycare Director Courtney Hill. “Several people jumped into action once the baby was here, Everybody just pitched in. You don’t know what to do in a situation like that, but everybody handled it in the best possible way,” Hill commented.
A Joyful Surprise for Oxford Kinder Academy
Recognizing such an event as completely unprecedented in her 30-year-long tenure, and acknowledging the instant and cohesive response of her team, Hill shared a hearty laugh. The newborn, named King, has already started making weekly visits to the daycare and will be enrolled as soon as Taylor returns from her maternity leave.
In an unpredictable twist of fate, Oxford Kinder Academy learns not just to educate and care for children but also, when necessary, bring them safely into this world.
