These Newborns Couldn't Wait Until The Winter Storm Passed
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Dozens of snow babies were born over the weekend.
There are many harrowing stories about driving through the snow while a mom-to-be is in labor, but over at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, it was a really crazy time there, too.
21-year-old Brittany Gillette wasn't expecting her first baby for another week, but Saturday morning as the snow piled up, her water broke.
"She would wait until the middle of the blizzard," Brittany said, referring to the baby.
Her fiancé Robert Robinson tried to do some quick shoveling outside of their home in West Philadelphia.
"I had seen how much snow was out there," Robert said. "I knew the car wasn't making it off the block, but it gave her hope for me to shovel."
"And that lasted about an hour and the car was just stuck," Brittany added.
Next, they called an ambulance, and against all odds, the ambulance also got stuck in the snow.
"I didn't know what to think, I was nervous," Brittany said. "I didn't know how far dilated I was. I was like please don't come until we get to the hospital, because I don't know what to do. I was nervous."
They finally called the police, and moments later one of Philly's finest arrived in a SUV.
"Thankfully they didn't get stuck, because I was panicking," Brittany said. "We passed a lot of stuck cars. I think it was an accident on the way, tow trucks trying to get people out, it was horrible."
Once at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, baby Ka'lei Robinson was born at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. She weighed a total of seven pounds and two ounces.
Baby Ka'lei was among a record 44 babies delivered at HUP during the snow storm.
On a typical Sunday here, they usually have maybe 10 newborns.
"We did have to call a couple people in from home," said Kerri Borgese, a maternity nurse. "The police brought in one of our nurses."
Kerri says she's never seen so many babies at once.
"I don't know, I guess it was just the blizzard and it being a full moon," Kerri said. "Were always busy when there's a full moon, so I guess it just created a crazy combination and we had a lot of deliveries."
While more babies might be born during full moons, there's no scientific evidence explaining why, but there is some limited research showing a lower barometric pressure associated with a storm, can instigate labor.
