A Delivery Story That's Truly Incredible

Jen Chaney — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:02:00 GMT

Fill that mug with coffee and recline that office swivel chair -- have I got a pregnancy and delivery story for you.

Xochitl Parra is a 17-year-old high school student who, somehow, managed to hide her pregnancy from her parents for nine months. Assuming they would kick her out of the house once they found out, she had arranged to move in with a friend after the baby was born. But then something unexpected happened: The baby decided to arrive a few days early, while Parra was in the shower.

"I felt his head coming so I sit down and pushed so he could come out," the new mom said. In fact, she delivered a healthy baby boy in her own bathroom, with no assistance from anyone. But that's not the incredible part. (Okay, it's one of the incredible parts, but the story gets better.)

Aware that she needed medical assistance but unable to dial 911 because her phone was disconnected, she wrapped up the child, got dressed and walked/jogged the four blocks to the nearest hospital while carrying the baby who, by the way, was still attached to Parra via the umbilical cord. The doctors at St. Mary's Medical Center in Long Beach, Calif., say Parra's quick response saved both her and her child's life.

Now, let's backtrack for a second and break down the many astounding aspects of this story:

1. Parra was pregnant for nine months without her parents noticing. This isn't the first time I have heard of such a thing occurring, but I still cannot fathom how that's possible. Even if the girl was a tad overweight to begin with, it's pretty obvious when someone's got a stowaway in her uterus. Were her parents just busy? Preoccupied with "American Idol"? Unfamiliar with the idea that teen girls can get pregnant because they hadn't seen the movie "Juno"?

2. How on God's green Earth did Parra a. know how to push out the baby and b. just do it with no epidural, coaching or help from anyone? That would be an incredible feat for any woman, but for a teenager it's borderline superheroic. When I was 17, I couldn't even figure out all the words to Technotronic's "Pump Up the Jam."

3. After delivering the kid, she somehow managed to walk/jog -- yes, I said SLASH JOG -- four blocks with the child still attached. I can barely walk/jog four blocks right now. If I had a kid hanging out of my hoo-ha, I'd be calling a cab.

Because of her concern about her parents finding out, Parra sought no prenatal care throughout her pregnancy, so it really is a miracle that her son, named Alejandro, arrived in such good shape. The happy ending: Apparently Parra's mom has accepted her daughter's unexpected motherhood and will help raise the boy while Mama finishes school. I'd say that Parra has a challenging road ahead of her, but if she can push out a kid and then go for a jog, she's probably prepared to handle anything.

Photo: Scott Smeltzer/Long Beach Press-Telegram

Strollerderby : Xochitl Parra

A Delivery Story That's Truly Incredible