N.H. Rescuers Assist with Birth 3 Months Premature

MERRIMACK, N.H. --

A pregnant woman due to deliver in April who suddenly went into labor early Friday morning is recovering.

Paramedics rushed to help, but the woman's husband delivered the baby just six minutes after calling 911 and a dispatcher talked the father through the delivery.

The baby is expected to survive and the parents remain shocked at how she arrived, WMUR News 9's Aaron Kellogg reported.

When Candice Allerdice went into labor, she delivered her daughter so quickly that she couldn't get to the hospital and paramedics couldn't get to her house in time.

"I just started to panic for a second and then it came to me: The baby wasn't there. Then, half the baby was there, then, OK, this has to happen right now," said Allerdice's husband, Mike.

911 Call:

Mike Allerdice: "She's in the downstairs bathroom screaming."

Operator: "we want to make sure she doesn't try to prevent the birth. Tell her not to cross her legs or to sit on the toilet."

For six minutes, Mike Allerdice followed step-by-step instructions from the 911 call center. Then, suddenly, Adriana Rose Allerdice made a loud entry into the world.

Mike Allerdice on phone with 911: "Oh, there it is, it just came out."

Operator: "Is the baby crying or breathing?"

Mike Allerdice: "No, the baby is not breathing at all. (pause) The baby's moving, baby's moving."

"During the whole thing, I think I was in shock more than anything," Candice Allerdice said. "I just kept screaming, 'No, I don't want to do this right now, it can't be happening. I thought for sure she was gone."

Hours after the pregnancy, doctors worked to make sure Adriana would survive. Paramedics took special steps to keep her lungs moving, but most of their equipment is too small to help a baby that's four months premature.

Now, Adriana is expected to recover from her rough ride and her parents are proud of their new addition, but also proud how they handled this terrifying emergency.

"He's my hero. He is. I'm very proud of him," Candace Allerdice said.

"She did well too, you know?" Mike Allerdice said.

Adriana is only 14 inches long, 2 pounds, 2 ounces, and she could spend about 10 weeks at Boston Medical Center. She and her mother also now share the same birthday.

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