ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — A St. Joseph couple is calling their newborn baby a miracle, after he was delivered in the bathroom of his family’s home on Sunday. The father of the baby, Paul Fritz, told FOX 4 his experience as an emergency medical technician helped save his baby’s life.
Jessica Fritz, 31, says she wasn’t planning on cuddling her baby until a month from now. She says her son, Joe, wasn’t due until Valentine’s Day. But on Sunday she says she went to the bathroom at 4 o’clock in the morning and her water broke.
“Stood up off the toilet and I said he’s coming and my husband goes, ‘There’s no way’ and I said, ‘Yeah, he’s coming,’” said Jessica.
The couple thought they could make it to the hospital but the baby had other plans.
“So I squatted in front of the toilet, like an Indian and right there he come out,” said Jessica.
But Jessica says the baby wasn’t breathing because they didn’t have a bulb syringe to clear the baby’s airway.
“My aunt Lisa was on the phone with the hospital trying to tell us what to do and tell him and he goes, I already know what I’m doing,” said Jessica.
“I couldn’t concentrate with them hollering so I took my mouth and put it on his and sucked that stuff out of his mouth, that’s the only thing I could think of,” said Paul.
Paul Fritz says he was an EMT in the 1990’s and his training just kicked in.
“I never thought I’d ever use it on one of my own,” said Paul.
And fritz says he hopes he doesn’t have to tap into his skills again.
Paul and Jessica say they’re thankful their five pound, nine ounce baby boy is doing fine.
