Daddie Marto, a content creator, and his wife Christine Koku found themselves in a truly extraordinary situation when they welcomed their third child into the world while in a friend’s car en route to the hospital. The couple shared their remarkable story on their YouTube channel, ‘MaNa PaTau.’
It all began when Christine received a call informing her that she needed to go to the hospital, just as they were about to start shooting a confirmed project. Feeling a mixture of anxiety and confusion, Christine tried to stay composed, but the situation quickly intensified. She found herself sweating profusely, becoming forgetful, and needing to change her shirt due to the nerves. Overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events, she said, “I was just sweating.”
Assuming she still had time, Christine didn’t rush as her water had not broken yet. However, her perception changed drastically when her water unexpectedly broke around 11 o’clock. Their friend Njeri came to their aid as Christine endured excruciating pain, rendering her unable to speak, trembling and perspiring heavily.
Christine explained, “I wasn’t in a hurry because my water hadn’t broken, so I thought we had more time. But by the time we reached Githurai Kimbo, the pain became unbearable, and I found myself screaming.” This bewildered her, as her previous labors had lasted for hours and were medically induced.
Unbeknownst to the couple, their baby was ready to make his entrance into the world. “I didn’t realize I was in labor because I was accustomed to a labor duration of 15 hours. I had planned to request an epidural once I arrived at the hospital,” Christine shared. She began sensing the onset of labor when her instincts compelled her to position herself on all fours. Apologizing in advance to Njeri for the potential mess in her car, Christine positioned herself and prepared for anything, grateful for the loose-fitting dress she had worn.
Proudly reflecting on her resilience, Christine expressed her astonishment at the experience, admitting that she had only heard of such incidents from other people’s stories. The couple attempted to flag down three ambulances along the way, but none stopped to assist them. It wasn’t until they reached the underpass near Muthaiga that Christine felt the urge to push. In a remarkable 10 seconds, their baby boy was born. Although the umbilical cord was loosely wrapped around the baby’s neck, Christine managed to adjust it without harm.
In a resourceful move, Christine used Njeri’s sweaters to provide warmth and protection for the newborn, while Njeri continued to drive them to the hospital. Remarkably, the umbilical cord remained intact, connecting mother and child as they arrived at the hospital, where the baby received the necessary care.
Christine revealed that, unexpectedly, the contraceptive coil she had inserted prior to prevent unwanted pregnancies remained inside her after the delivery. She had taken precautions, but it seemed that fate had different plans in store for their growing family.
