Robertson Co. paramedics save premature baby’s life
By Marissa Sulek
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — A Robertson County mom can thank some hardworking paramedics for saving the life of her baby. Robertson County EMS stepped in just minutes after the woman gave birth at home 10 weeks early.
Moments after Robertson County paramedics helped a mom deliver a baby, first responders Alex Shearer and La’Darrius Huddleston knew something wasn’t right.
“I looked down and saw her newborn infant that was not breathing that was blue as blue can be,” said Shearer.
“I have pretty small hands, so it was about the size of my hands,” said Huddleston. “No bigger than a palm and a half.”
With a low pulse and body temperature, Shearer used his years of training with artificial ventilations.
“I did with like three little fingers, just squeezing it,” said Shearer.
He did this by putting just the right amount of pressure on an oxygen pump, filling up the infants’ teeny tiny lungs while keeping him warm.
Eventually, he was able to radio dispatch.
“Baby is breathing on its own,” Shearer said. “We got a pulse.”
Minutes later, they said the same team of four paramedics dropped the baby off at TriStar Northcrest Medical Center. That’s where staff had an incubator ready to go.
“Once we got to the hospital and seen the baby come back it was pretty spectacular,” said Huddleston.
It’s an outcome paramedics like Shearer and Huddleston hope for every call but is not always possible.
“We make those calls every single day and the times that we get a life back or quite literally save a life is so few and far in between,” said Huddleston. “You now, I’ve done this for seven years and I could probably count on two hands the number of saves I’ve actually got.”
Robertson County EMS said the baby was transported to Monroe Carrell Junior Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. They said both mom and baby are doing well.
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