Mum-to-be gives birth to tot in back of taxi because she couldn’t get to hospital in time

A mum-to-be gave birth to her tot in the back of a taxi because she couldn’t get to hospital in time.

Jessica Paola Cantoní was at home with her sister Lina Fernanda when her waters broke.

With no way of getting themselves to the hospital, Jessica’s neighbour, who is also a taxi driver, offered to take them to them.

However, Jessica could no longer bear the contractions and started to worry that her baby was coming.

Therefore the driver and Lina decided they had to stop the car.

Luckily, they stopped just outside a fire station and the driver immediately ran into the building asking for help.

Firefighters, from Villa del Sur fire station, southwest of Bogota, Colombia, were alerted and quickly made their way outside.

According to witnesses, the vehicle arrived honking frantically with the pregnant woman’s hand hanging out the window.

The staff then ran out to aid the 31-year-old who made sure to create space for her to give birth to her baby daughter next to the public road.

Luckily, paramedic Valentine Palacios was on duty and delivered the baby without any major complications.

A dramatic birth unfolds as a mother delivers her baby in a taxi, aided by firefighters. Both mother and newborn reported healthy after the ordeal. — *The baby after it was born in the back of a taxi. (Picture: Jam Press)*

Lina, sister of Jessica, told local news: “We are very grateful to God, first of all, to our taxi driver neighbour and primarily to the Cali firefighters.

“Thank you very much for helping us in this very difficult situation that we faced.

“I felt helplessness and a lot of nerves, that is, I didn’t know the truth, or what else to do.

“God bless you, Valentina, the assistant who helped us, thank you very much for having that patience with us, for helping us at all times.

“I thank you with all my heart and on behalf of my sister.”

In a message she sent to the firefighters when the mother and her daughter were finally taken to a Cali health centre, the sister clarified that Jessica Paola is hospitalised and receiving a course of antibiotics since when giving birth under these circumstances she was exposed to infections, so they will avoid any complications.

The sister added: “The baby is in the best condition, she is very beautiful, she is already pink.”