Amelia Charlotte Marsden
Amelia Charlotte Marsden made quite an entrance into the world Thursday.
Her parents were on their way to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center’s Mainland Campus, when Amelia let her mom know, she just could not wait.
“Call 911,” Joanna Elswick told James Marsden.
The Cape May County couple already worried they may not make it.
They had called the midwife to say they were on their way, but as it looked like Amelia was coming quicker than expected, the midwife said she would call the ambulance.
“I asked her how long it would take,” figuring they might be able to get to the hospital before the ambulance got to them, Marsden told BreakingAC.
“If you think you can make it, keep going,” the midwife said, telling Marsden to ignore the E-ZPass, and that they could make a report later.
But just before the toll, Elswick realized their time was running out.
The need to push was too strong.
Marsden followed the instructions he was given to open the door and prepare his wife.
He was also told to look to see if Elswick was crowning.
The dispatcher told him if he saw the baby’s head not to pull, but to be there to catch her and have a warm blanket.
“Definitely nerve-racking would be the word,” he said. “I’m panicking, ‘Where are these people?’”
Luckily, a State Police trooper showed up, allowing Marsden to move to Elswick’s side for support, and not delivery duty.
But it was when Deputy Chief Brian Allegretto of the Seaville Volunteer Fire Company Station 19 showed up at 9:09 p.m. that relief came. Allegretto is also an Medical Intensive Care Unit paramedic.
Amelia Charlotte arrived nine minutes later.
Upper Township’s ambulance with EMTs Jessica Wriggins and William Handley were there to get the mom and baby into the ambulance and give care before heading to the hospital in Galloway Township.
“They were really great with the job they did,” Elswick said. “It was really scary, but it wasn’t too bad.”
Daisy Mae Marsden, 2, got to meet her little sister Friday.
Daisy's entry was much calmer: Mom got to the hospital at 8 a.m. to be induced, and gave birth at 1:15 p.m.
With the drama over, the new baby is doing well, weighing in at 6 pounds 8 ounces.
“She’s an angel of a baby,” Amelia’s dad said. “We’re glad that she’s OK.”
