Jonnesha's Story

Local ‘Miracle Mom’ Delivers Baby in Car While Driving Herself to Princeton Baptist Medical Center

When Jonnesha Wilson, 27, made it to front entrance of Princeton Baptist Medical Center on Thursday, Dec. 8, she saw a woman headed inside and got her attention. She recalled saying to the woman, “I just had my baby in the car on Arkadelphia, can you let someone know I need them to come outside and help us.”

While it sounds like something you only see in the movies, the lady quickly rushed inside for help for the new mom, who was the driver of the vehicle. She was in the car with her other two young boys (ages 6 and 7) as she cradled her newborn in her arms.

While the nursing team was notified, the local mom recalled the people who stayed with her. “The people wondered how I was so calm, but after delivering him I felt physical relief and heard him crying and saw him putting his fingers in his mouth, so I felt we were okay.”

The nursing team rushed out with a wheelchair, blankets and all the things needed to safely transport mom and baby to the unit. After ensuring the umbilical cord and other matters were taken care of, the medical team transported mom and baby to the proper units for care. 

After reflecting about her experience, Jonnesha shared that it wasn’t until later that evening that it really hit her what she experienced. 

“I was sitting there like, ‘Wow, I had my baby in the car today’ and then in conversations with my family about it, one of my aunts said, ‘you must have an “S” on your chest that we don’t know about,” suggesting she was a “Superwoman” for successfully delivering in the car and driving herself to the hospital. 

During her travel to Princeton, she recalled having 3 major contractions as her little ones in the back served as her “mini birthing coaches” cheering her on along the way. On the fourth contraction, she ended up putting her car in park to retrieve her baby boy, Dayze, at 10:41 a.m. 

She recalled being at the Arkadelphia exit at the time of delivery and when asked how she was able to keep going through the contractions, she said, “I guess I just went into to mama mode, I knew I had my kids in the car and wanted us to get there safely.” 

With a high tolerance for pain and a busy morning, this mom knew she was getting close to her due date of Dec. 20th and felt her little one was coming soon, but thought she surely would make it to the hospital. Though no two pregnancy experiences are alike, she did share with a chuckle that in her previous deliveries she was able to make it to the hospital. 

“I knew I felt something going on, but I wasn’t timing the contractions,” she said. “Once I knew it was time to go, I got my children (because I homeschool them) and we headed to Princeton. I really didn’t have to “push”, but on that last contraction, I knew I had to safely put my car in park to make sure we were okay.” 

She was able to let some family know Dayze was coming in the midst of everything, but she didn’t want to stop or wait, she thought since she lived close by that it was best they meet her at the hospital. 

But, a lot happened in just that short 10 minute drive. Baby Dayze made his grand entrance and Jonnesha recalled her sons celebrating with her when they heard him crying, “They said, ‘Yay, our brother’s here!’ I’m sure this is an experience they will never forget,” she said. 

Just a day before, they celebrated her oldest son’s birthday at the jump park but she didn’t realize now her newborn’s birthday would be the following day. 

Keeping their innocence as young kids, they were glad their brother safely arrived through mommy’s belly button and were proud of their mom for delivering Dayze and getting them there safely. 

Baby Dayze weighed 6 lbs, 13 oz. and measured 19 ½ inches long and after careful evaluation to determine if he needed to go to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Jonnesha was relieved to be reunited with her baby and learning he wouldn’t have to go to the NICU. 

Upon getting to Princeton, some of the nursing leaders referred to her as a “champ” and even coined the title “miracle mom”, given the uniqueness of her story. 

Many are aware that there are several complications that could happen during birth, but given that Jonnesha and her children arrived safely is what many of the leaders thought to be amazing. 

“The care has been great. The nurses are very attentive. This was actually my first experience at Princeton because I wanted a natural childbirth, but I suppose it doesn’t get any more natural than this,” she said with a laugh. “But, truly the care has been great given we had a very special situation.”