Pregnant Woman Stuck in Traffic Gives Birth on the Way to the Hospital

A pregnant woman from Georgia had no idea that she would go on to remember her trip to the hospital for the rest of her life. While she was stuck in traffic with her husband, her water broke. What happened next constituted an unforgettable birth story.

In the late days of November 2022, Deshai Fudd, a mother from Georgia, found herself facing unexpected twists during what she thought would be a routine trip to the hospital for contractions. Despite having two children already, the arrival of her third child wasn't within the hospital walls, as anticipated, but rather in traffic while en route.

In a TikTok post on January 16, 2023, Deshai detailed the extraordinary experience, mentioning that she gave birth to her baby girl in the car. The mom explained that she and her husband encountered traffic and needed to signal the police for an escort.

Deshai expressed gratitude that they successfully reached the hospital, noting that her baby girl was in impeccable condition. She said thanks and mentioned they were even discharged the next day.

In the video post about her baby, Deshai said, "She met her big sister and brother who love her very much. This was very scary but we are blessed to have another healthy, beautiful addition to the family! 🥰 We can't wait for her to grow up and hear her crazy birth story 🤣."

A Dramatic Entrance

On that fateful day, Deshai had instructed her husband, a security guard, to go to work as usual, assuring him she'd call if needed. Luckily, Loston Fudd finished work early, arriving home to find Deshai experiencing contractions. She promptly instructed him to prepare for their hospital trip.

Seizing the moment, Deshai captured her incredible journey in a now-viral TikTok clip that has captivated audiences, amassing over 15 million views.

Setting out in the car, the GPS predicted a 30 to 40-minute journey due to traffic. However, about 10 minutes into the drive, 23-year-old Deshai vividly recalled, "My water broke, and [my baby] just came right out." Unprepared but undeterred, little Dariya Fudd made her grand entrance on November 29, 2022, marking the momentous occasion at 38 weeks into her mom's pregnancy.

In the initial moments, Deshai revealed her husband's panic, recalling, "He's like, 'Oh my gosh, what do I do? Is she OK? What's going on?'" Amid the uncertainty, she found herself in a state of shock but quickly resolved, saying, "There was a moment of shock, but I was just like, 'Let's just get to a hospital because I don't know what to do right now.'"

Navigating through what she described as "standstill traffic," it took the couple an additional 15-20 minutes to reach Emory University Hospital Midtown near downtown Atlanta.

Deshai, reflecting on the ride, shared, "After we calmed down a little — because it was a pretty long ride after the fact — I started to text my family, letting them know what happened even before we reached the hospital." It was during this exchange that her sister, in the group chat, humorously requested, "'Can we get a picture or video or something?'"

Reflecting on her past experiences, the young mom noted, "Every other baby, I was in labor for a very long time. With my son, I was in labor for three days, and the hospital is pretty far, so I was like, I don't want to go up to the hospital and just get sent right back, and we'd be driving back and forth all day."

Safe and Healthy

Fortunately, the Fudds reached the hospital safely. Deshai explained that a traffic officer aided them in flagging down nurses, who then approached the car. Describing the scene, she mentioned that the medical staff came out, cut the umbilical cord right there in the car, and wrapped the baby up in some blankets.

After placing Deshai in a wheelchair, they took them inside, conducting all the routine checks for a newborn, and everything turned out well. With gratitude, Deshai stated that the newborn passed all assessments with flying colors.

The Georgia mom of three shared that a little over 24 hours later, she and her baby girl were on their way home. Two months later, Deshai happily reported that Dariya had started to get to know her older siblings, Demiah and Lamell, and was adjusting to tummy time. Baby Dariya continues to thrive and celebrated her first birthday on November 29, 2023.

Discussing the decision to share Dariya's dramatic entrance on social media, Deshai explained that God had urged her to share it because she felt down about the situation. Reflecting on the unexpected response, she expressed how the comments, love, and support surpassed her expectations, making her feel much better about everything she loved.

Comments from Readers

Seizing the moment, Deshai captured her incredible journey in a now-viral TikTok clip that has captivated audiences, amassing over 15 million views. "The baby in your pants like a baby kangaroo in it's mommas pouch 😭 congratulations ! Hope you're okay 💞 [sic]," one user wrote.

"Omgggg in Atlanta traffic 😩 I would've had a panic attack lol. Congrats! 💕 [sic]," added a second reader. "yes 😂 my husband was panicking which is why he flagged the police down for an escort 😂😂😂😂 [sic]," replied Deshai.

"How'd you know what to do or how to care for her until you got to the hospital? 🥹" wondered another commenter. "i was just praying and trying not to panic i just focused on keeping her warm and making sure she was breathing [sic]," Deshai responded.

What are your thoughts on this story? Click here to read another one about a mother who gave birth to twins in a toilet hours before one of them was to be terminated to save the other's life.