A woman was forced to deliver her baby in her car just moments after her hospital turned her away because she allegedly wasn’t dilated enough.
Lauren Banks is a proud North Carolina mom whose husband drove her to New Bern’s CarolinaEast Medical Center after she went into labor back on March 23.
After arriving at the hospital, the woman was allegedly examined and turned away after doctors found out she was dilated just four centimeters.
According to the couple, the doctors told her she should have been dilated at least five centimeters before she could be admitted.
After being turned away over the absurd ‘requirement’, Lauren and her husband sat back in their car only for the labor to progress at a faster rate than any of them expected.
While on their way to another hospital, Lauren was ready to give birth, whereas her husband was forced to stop at a parking lot to assist with the delivery of their second child.
Fortunately, the baby was born healthy and without complications.
Recalling her traumatizing experience at the CarolinaEast Medical Center, Lauren said: “[The doctor] said he was sorry I was in pain, but I was giving him no medical reason to keep me. He said, ‘Your blood pressure’s fine, I can’t keep you due to pain.’
“At this point I am bawling my eyes out on all fours on the bed. If I wasn’t in labor then I was dying.”
Speaking to WITN, her husband added: “I watched my wife give birth to my son right there in the parking lot. He came out and he was purple, and he wasn’t making a lot of noise. I was concerned on top of everything else going on.”
Eventually, the paramedics assisted the couple and brought them back to the same hospital from which they were turned away just moments later.
“When we got there, one of the nurses looked at me, and it looked like she’d seen a ghost,” Lauren recalled.
Following the couple’s allegations, the CarolinaEast was quick to maintain innocence saying they “did not and would not turn anyone away from the hospital.”
As a spokesperson said, however, certain metrics must be met before pregnant women can be admitted.
“Unfortunately babies don’t always cooperate with expectations… we’ve all heard stories of newborns making debuts in homes, cars, restaurants, and even gas stations,” they said.
“The Banks’ baby certainly made an unexpected entrance but we are so happy he is healthy and precious and absolutely wish the family all the best.”
What are your thoughts on this matter? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your family and friends. For more news and stories, follow us on Facebook!