A US teacher has given birth on the footpath outside of her school after mistaking ʟᴀʙᴏʀ ᴘᴀɪɴs for false ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴs.
Lindsay Agbalokwu teaches sixth grade at DSST: Conservatory Green in Denver, Colorado. She was due to give birth on September 17 but woke up on September 3 experiencing cramping, which she thought was false labour.
The teacher managed to attend the morning assembly, but her ʟᴀʙᴏʀ ᴘᴀɪɴs intensified during class. An ambulance was called and Agbalokwu walked out to the front of the school to wait for help, before collapsing on the footpath outside.
A sleeping bag was laid out for the teacher, and emergency workers coached the school principal and dean over the phone to help them deliver the healthy baby girl, which she named Zara.
“In the classroom, the ᴘᴀɪɴ went from 0 to 100,” Agbalokwu said.
Of the delivery, she added: “I was in so much ᴘᴀɪɴ, I didn’t care that these people are my bosses, they are both parents. They were my support people.”
The new mum’s colleague Vanessa Shantel shared the incredible story on Facebook.
“Crazy story. My co-worker ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ her baby in the school parking lot! Needless to say, it was quite unexpected,” she wrote. “If you’re able and willing to donate some money or send a meal of your choosing to be ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ to them – that would be awesome. This family deserves the help of the village.
“Lindsay you are a champ. I’m sad our time teaching together was cut short by a week, but I’m happy that you get one more week to love on baby Zara.”
Friends of the teacher have set up a crowdfunding page to help with meals as the family cares for their newborn. On the page, the friends wrote about baby Zara’s exciting entry into the world.
“Like a true dedicated teacher, Lindsay arrived at school that day thinking nothing would be out of the ordinary,” they wrote. “A short 1 hour and 15 minutes later, Zara decided it was time to greet the world. Born at DSST Conservatory Green Middle School, she is a true miracle.”
Mum, Dad, and big brother Zeke are so excited to have Zara home and both Mum and Baby are doing great!”
