While having a birth plan is advantageous for mothers to have a voice in their preferred delivery method with the assistance of their birthing team, it’s important to recognize that childbirth can sometimes defy all preparations. Unexpectedly, it may occur in unconventional circumstances such as in a moving vehicle while on the way to the hospital.

Still, Andrea thought it would be a while before she gave birth, as she experienced being in labor for 24 hours with her first child.

When she got into the backseat of their truck, she realized she couldn’t sit down because of the intense pressure in her pelvic area. She ended up on her knees while facing the back of the pickup.

They parked the truck in their driveway and ended up surprising Andrea’s parents with a crying baby. “With my baby still connected to me, we managed to swaddle him with some clean towels,” Andrea says, adding that since Kidlat was with them in the car, he woke up to the sight of his baby brother covered in afterbirth.

Shortly after, they again left for the hospital to get Andrea and their baby checked. Andrea shares that trusting her body and her baby paved the way for a successful, natural, and gentle birth. Based on her experience, her advice to expecting moms is to also mentally prepare for their baby’s arrival.