Baby Jimmy’s dramatic roadside arrival

Some babies make a dramatic entrance – and Jimmy, born on the side of a road near Shepparton, certainly did.

Just before midnight on March 4, at the intersection of McCarten and Katamatite-Shepparton Main Roads in Tallygaroopna, it became clear that little Jimmy couldn’t wait to meet his mum Tayla and dad Jack.

On the way to hospital, Jack pulled the car over, dialed Triple Zero (000) and followed the instructions from Triple Zero Victoria call-taker Monet Stitt-Jones.

Monet’s calm instructions helped guide Tayla and Jack through the extraordinary roadside birth until Ambulance Victoria (AV) paramedics arrived. It’s a moment none of them will ever forget.

Throughout the delivery, Jack remained calm and focused, offering unwavering support to Tayla while relaying crucial details to Monet, who guided them moment by moment through one of the most emotional experiences of their lives.

Then came the sound that changed everything - Jimmy’s first cry.

Tayla knew their daughter Dottie had arrived quickly and had even joked about a roadside birth, but she never thought it would actually happen.

“It was overwhelming, but the moment Jimmy cried I felt so much relief. We were just so grateful for the support from emergency services,” Tayla said.

To make the story even more extraordinary, Jimmy was born still inside the amniotic sac, a rare event.

AV Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics Jeremy Lia and Steph Sewell learned baby Jimmy had been delivered while they were on the way.

“It was reassuring in some manner, because a lot of the complications can occur during the birthing process,” Jeremy said.

“From that point, one of our biggest concerns was baby’s temperature on the side of the road near midnight. Nobody plans to have their baby in that manner, so we didn’t know if they were prepared to keep the baby warm. We started turning on our heater to get the ambulance as warm as we could for when we arrived.”

When Jeremy and Steph got to the scene, mum, dad and bub were all doing well, cracking jokes and grinning ear to ear.

“From the initial stages of meeting the three of them, it was nothing more than wholesome and beautiful,” Jeremy said.

“We did a quick assessment on the roadside to make sure mum and baby weren’t in need of any critical care. They weren’t so we were able to focus on their comfort – getting them wrapped up in towels and blankets and moving them into the warm ambulance for a full assessment. We encouraged some feeding, checked mum wasn’t bleeding and monitored both of their vital signs as we transported them to hospital.

“As MICA paramedics, we usually only get sent to the most injured or unwell patients, and to births when something goes wrong. We left this case going, ‘how nice was that’.

“The nice cases are something we often miss out on as MICA paramedics, so it was very special.”

Monet said it’s a call she will remember vividly.

“They were incredible - Tayla was so strong, and Jack followed every instruction perfectly. He was my eyes on scene, relaying essential information that helped guide Tayla through the birth. Being part of their son’s safe arrival is something I’ll carry with me forever,” she said.

While Jimmy’s birth didn’t go to plan, his parents wouldn’t change it for the world.

“Looking back, it’s pretty special to have been part of bringing Jimmy into the world,” Jack said.