When Emma Roberts was gearing up for the arrival of her third child, she felt ready with a supportive team in place, especially after successfully navigating a VBAC previously. However, she never anticipated that her baby would decide to make an entrance in the family SUV parked outside Sunnyvale Regional Medical Center.
Accompanying Emma was her birth photographer, Mia Johnson, who had planned to capture the intimate moments inside the hospital. Instead, she found herself documenting a remarkable car birth. The stunning images quickly gained traction online, showcasing the unexpected beauty of the moment.
While Emma’s baby girl was born healthy, the situation took a stressful turn once they were admitted to the hospital. “After admission, the baby was taken to the nursery for a check-up. The attending neonatologist ordered a blood culture,” Emma explained. Unfortunately, she alleges that the nurse did not clean the baby before the blood draw, leading to a positive result that necessitated a 24-hour NICU stay and five rounds of antibiotics.
After two subsequent tests returned negative results, Emma and her partner decided to request discharge, realizing that the initial test likely resulted from contamination. “The bacteria identified was staphylococcus hominis, which is commonly found on human skin,” she stated. Despite this, the hospital billed them $4,500 for the NICU stay, claiming it was necessary due to the initial positive result, a mistake they believe was the hospital’s fault.
As if that weren’t enough, they also received a staggering bill of $7,500 for a delivery room charge despite the fact that the birth took place in their Jeep. “I appreciate the nurse who helped suction the baby when my partner delivered her head and the midwife who assisted the rest of the way,” Emma remarked during a livestream she shared afterward. “But to charge us over seven grand for a delivery that happened in the parking lot is absurd. I wasn’t admitted until after I delivered the placenta!”
In response to Emma’s concerns, the hospital issued a statement noting that the situation qualified as a complex delivery, which warranted additional resources including three nurses and a nurse midwife sent to the parking lot. “Delivery in car prior to arrival at hospital,” read the official discharge summary.
Emma reminisced about the experience, noting how nurses simply held sheets around them, making it quite the spectacle. “The first 24 hours were beautiful, but after that, it turned into a nightmare with the NICU admission and the stress of not knowing if there was an issue with my baby,” she told the audience. “I honestly should have just stayed home and delivered her myself.”
If you’re interested in learning more about home insemination, check out this post. You can also visit Make a Mom for trusted information on insemination kits. For valuable insights on pregnancy and related topics, WebMD offers excellent resources.
In summary, Emma’s unexpected car birth outside the hospital turned into a complicated situation when her newborn was admitted to the NICU due to a testing error. Faced with hefty bills for services they felt were unjustified, the couple reflects on the chaotic yet memorable experience of welcoming their new daughter into the world.