Wasilla dispatcher talks father through delivery

WASILLA, Alaska (AP) - A 911 dispatcher talked a Wasilla couple through the process of delivering their baby.

Jole Holt went into labor at about 4 a.m. Sunday.

“My mind automatically was like, ’OK, start packing a bag and it’s time to go to the hospital,’ and she was like, ’No he’s coming now,’” her husband, Anthony Holt, told KTUU (https://is.gd/LyiFiR ).

Anthony Holt called 911 at 4:06 a.m., and dispatcher Amber Church talked him through the baby’s delivery, a short two minutes later.

“It was just going way too fast. I looked over there and his head was crowning and I was like, ’Oh no, oh no,’” the father said.

Church continued to give instructions, including giving the baby a pat on the bottom to get him to breathe, until paramedics arrived. Dispatchers have informational cards covering all sorts of scenarios, including childbirth, at their stations.

“He was an amazing caller, he was really cooperative and he was doing exactly what I said,” Church said.

“You could hear the pride in his voice. He was very excited. It was really endearing,” she said.

The baby is named Lawrence Donnovan.

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Information from: KTUU-TV, https://www.ktuu.com