Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Editor's note: Audio recording uses descriptive language.PROVO — The calm instructions of a police dispatcher and the quick follow-through of a man brought a healthy baby into the world on the side of I-15 last week.
Carlos Pozo and his wife, who was in labor, were driving to the hospital in American Fork from Provo Saturday around 3:20 p.m. Near the Orem 1600 North exit, Pozo and his wife realized the baby needed to be delivered and called dispatch.
"I was just running through scenarios in my head just trying not to faint and crashing the car," Pozo said in an interview with KSL Newsradio. "Just trying to plan for what might come."
Pozo asks his crying wife, "are you pushing?" and then tells Benson he is pulling over the family's minivan a half a mile from the Pleasant Grove exit.
Benson then asks a series of questions about the woman's previous pregnancies and deliveries, and about her current health. She tells Pozo to move her to the back seat to deliver the baby. Benson calmly tells Pozo how to prepare his wife and himself for the delivery. She tells him to gather clean, dry towels or blankets and a string or shoelace to cut the umbilical cord.
"Yeah, but it's dirty, is that OK?" Pozo said about the shoelace.
Between contractions, Benson gives instructions to Pozo about the delivery.
"Listen to me so you know what to do when the baby comes out, OK? As the baby starts to deliver, I need you to support the baby's head and shoulders and hold it gently but firmly. Remember the baby is going to be slippery, so don't drop it."
Pozo's responses get fewer and further between until you hear him cheering on his wife.
"Push, push! Here we go. All right, all right, all right! You did it, you did it! Good job, mama."
The only response is a cry from mother and baby, and Pozo saying "good job" several more times. Paramedics, who took over the delivery upon their arrival, can be heard telling Pozo that they will cut the umbilical cord after delivering the baby.
The baby and mother were discharged from the hospital and reported in good health Thursday. The couple considered naming the baby Miles, because he was born just a "couple of miles from the hospital," but settled on Arturo instead.
Contributing: Andrew Wittenberg
