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HealthQuiet 2d · day 3

Doula stuck in Golden Gate Park gridlock helps deliver baby on roadside

Katie Higgins coached a woman through labor after traffic blocked their hospital route; baby Cielle Ray arrived before paramedics.

newest coverage 2d agosummary written 3d ago6 pieces NewswiresGoogle NewsMastodon

What to know

  • A woman in active labor got stuck in severe Golden Gate Park traffic on Saturday; her partner called 911 but paramedics were blocked blocks away by gridlock.
  • Katie Higgins, a trained doula in nearby traffic, coached the mother through delivery; the baby was born roadside before emergency crews arrived.
  • The family later credited the doula's intervention in a statement, noting the timing felt providential given traffic was worse than usual due to a Highway 101 closure and a multi-car crash.

“We took a route that I take every morning to work without issues, and just so happens that the day with the worst traffic is the last day we needed it.”

Nate, Partner · NY Post ↗

Karollyn Mother who went into laborNate Partner and driverKatie Higgins Trained doulaAmerican Medical Response Ambulance company

Doula stuck in Golden Gate Park gridlock helps deliver baby on roadside
NY Post

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articles

Peak 2 pieces in one hour at Sep 20, 7 PM; 6 pieces over 3 days (5 articles · 1 post) Sep 20, 4 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 20, 5 PM — quietSep 20, 6 PM — quietSep 20, 7 PM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 1, Newswires 1Sep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 9 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 11 PM — quietSep 21, 12 AM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 3 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 5 AM — quietSep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Newswires 2Sep 21, 11 AM — quietSep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 1 AM — quiet 1
Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 2:07 AM ET
  1. 1

    Family releases statement praising doula's intervention

    The family released a statement through ambulance company American Medical Response, crediting the medical professionals in traffic and especially the doula who coached Karollyn through delivery until paramedics arrived.

    “We were so fortunate to have the support that we did, especially some medical professionals that were sitting in the same traffic. Most notably, a doula that helped coach Karollyn through the process until the paramedics arrived.”
    — Karollyn and Nate
    • trmarchand@sfba.social

      I love this story about a woman who gave birth while stuck in SF traffic. People came through. https://www. sfchronicle.com/sf/article/bab y-delivered-doula-traffic-golden-gate-bridge-22442050.php

      trmarchand@sfba.socialMastodon2d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  2. background

    Paramedics load mother and newborn into ambulance — Fire Engine 14 and paramedics arrived at the scene. Higgins offered to drive the couple's car to the hospital so Nate could ride with his new baby and partner.

  3. background

    Doula Katie Higgins coaches delivery on roadside before paramedics arrive — Katie Higgins, a trained doula stuck in the same traffic gridlock, noticed the commotion and ran to help. She guided Karollyn through breathing techniques and coached her through pushing. The ambulance crew had to ditch their vehicle blocks away due to severe traffic; by the time they arrived, baby Cielle Ray had been born.

  4. background

    Woman goes into labor during Golden Gate Park traffic jam — Karollyn and her partner Nate were driving through Golden Gate Park toward the hospital when traffic stalled on Crossover Drive near Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. With contractions underway, Nate pulled to the shoulder and called 911 shortly after 4:30 p.m.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 2 outlets San Francisco woman gives birth on the road after getting stuck in horrific city traffic

    first by NY Post, 3d ago · also Guardian

    1 more headline
  2. 2 outlets Doula helps deliver baby after mother goes into labor during Golden Gate Park traffic jam

    first by SF Standard, 3d ago · also The San Francisco Standard

    1 more headline