Rylie Jayne Aplin was born on the side of Hwy. 19 in an ambulance on Friday, Nov. 19, after her mother, Kelsey, went into labour while stuck in traffic. (submitted photo/Kyle Aplin)

By Alex Rawnsley

BUNDLE OF JOY

Baby delivered safely in gridlock on Island Hwy. north of Nanaimo

Nov 19, 2021 | 4:47 PM

PARKSVILLE — A traffic jam which has delayed thousands of people since Thursday, couldn’t delay the miracle of life.

Kyle and Kelsey Aplin knew their baby would come soon, with Kelsey experiencing contractions for several hours overnight on Friday, Nov. 19.

What was unexpected was where little Rylie Jayne would enter the world.

“We called the hospital at 10 a.m. and asked if we should come because of the traffic,” Kyle told NanaimoNewsNOW. “They said we should head out. We got just past Triple O’s and she couldn’t really bare it anymore so we called the ambulance.”

BC Emergency Health Services paramedics were dispatched at 11:41 a.m. for an “imminent delivery”. They arrived on scene at 12:01 p.m. due to challenges navigating traffic which had backed up to Parksville.

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“I was stressed for sure, I didn’t really see a way around or knew how we were going to get there,” Kyle said of the wait until help arrived.

“The 911 attendant was trying to give me details on how to give birth if it came down to it, that I needed a shoelace, some blankets and towels.”

Rylie was successfully delivered by paramedics in the ambulance at 12:18 p.m. She came in at seven pounds, five ounces.

The family, from Whiskey Creek, were then taken to hospital in Nanaimo for observation with both mother and daughter doing well.

“We were in oncoming traffic for pretty much half of the way there on the highway, lights and sirens almost the whole way,” Kyle said.

Rylie is the couple’s first child together, however Kelsey has two other children. Both previous births were relatively uneventful in comparison.

The Aplin’s expressed their immense gratitude to the emergency call taker, paramedics, hospital staff and people who helped on the side of the road or cleared a path for the ambulance to get to them and transport the family to Nanaimo.

The situation is a unique one for paramedics and one which comes with a little reward.

Crews who are able to successfully deliver babies, whether they are in person paramedics or medical emergency call takers on the phone, are awarded a stork pin.

“These pins are coveted, revered and a true point of pride amongst our staff. Many staff choose to wear the pins on their uniform,” a BC EHS spokesperson told NanaimoNewsNOW.

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