SUAMICO (NBC 26) — A Suamico couple is sharing the story of their daughter's unexpected arrival after labor progressed so quickly last week that first responders helped deliver the baby in the couple's half bathroom.
Jessica and Jesse Tesch welcomed their daughter at 12:47 a.m. April 30th, after Jessica suddenly went into labor just before midnight Wednesday. Less than an hour passed from the moment Jessica woke up to her daughter's birth.
The couple's previous two pregnancies were hospital births. Their daughter's birth took nine hours. Their son's labor moved faster — once Jessica's water broke, he was born within 15 minutes. That experience stayed with Jessica.
"That was my biggest fear, I was like, 'I just don't want it to happen in the middle of the night because of the kids,'" Jessica Tesch said.
At midnight, Jessica felt cramps, but didn't think it was labor.
Moments later, strong contractions began.
Watch the full story by Jessica Goska here:
Jessica woke her husband and called her brother to watch the couple's two other children while the couple packed for the hospital.
"Within, like, five minutes of that phone call, I was like, I already felt like I had to start pushing," Jessica remembers.
It was clear there was no time to get to the hospital.
Brown County 911 telecommunicator Darla Mensch guided Jesse through the baby's birth over the phone.
"We get pregnancy calls," said Mensch, "But none where they're ready to deliver now."
Mensch walked Jesse through the protocol, helping him control the speed of the baby's delivery.
"I'm like, 'Can you see any part of the baby?' He said 'No,' and then, like, two minutes later, he's like, 'Yep,'" Mensch recalled.
The baby was coming too fast, said Jesse. "She [Mensch] was telling me to try and slow the baby down."
Then the call dropped.
For Jessica, who could not see what was happening, the moment was terrifying. She did not know what Jesse was seeing or doing.
As their daughter's head emerged, Jesse discovered the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck.
He unwound the cord himself in the few seconds before dispatch called back.
Suamico paramedics arrived shortly after.
"He delivered her officially," Jessica Tesch said of her husband. "I was amazed by him that he was able to do what he did."
The baby's safe arrival brought an overwhelming wave of relief for both parents.
"I think I was honestly just in shock," Jessica remarked.
"I felt like I could finally breathe," Jesse added.
"My kid's going to be okay," Jessica thought.
As for the future, Jessica has one thought about a potential fourth pregnancy.
"If we have a fourth [child], I think we're just going to have to stay at the hospital," Jessica Tesch joked.
The family is now resting at home and settling into life with their newborn. They are forever grateful for the first responders who helped with their daughter's delivery.
