COROZAL TOWN, Wed. Sept. 19, 2018– News of a woman giving birth to a baby boy at a relative’s home after she was told by the Corozal Community Hospital that she wasn’t ready to deliver, spread like wildfire on social media yesterday. Fortunately, the baby was safely delivered by the father, but there has been much public criticism of the hospital that told a pregnant mother to go home while she was in labor.
In an interview with CTV3, the baby’s father, Jaime Hernandez, age unknown, said that he and his wife, Elena Hernandez, went to the hospital after she began experiencing what felt like labor pains. After being examined by a nurse and a doctor, she was told that the pain was simply due to hunger or gas, and that she should go home and eat.
Jaime said that he was upset because, since this was to be their fifth child, he was sure his wife would know the difference between hunger pains and labor pains. However, there was nothing more they could do besides leaving the hospital.
Rather than go home to the Rodney Moguel Area of Corozal Town, however, they stayed with Elena’s brother, Benedict Palma, owner of Rainbow FM, at #30 7th Avenue, because it was closer to the hospital.
Jaime said that he fell asleep after they arrived at Rainbow FM, but was awakened shortly after by his wife, who continued having more pain. That was when Jaime realized that the baby was indeed on its way, and that he would have to be the one to deliver it. He recalled that he felt excited, and that having seen his first four kids being delivered, he had a bit of experience.
Thankfully, Jaime was able to safely deliver his newborn son some time before 3 a.m. While he was doing so, Palma had called the ambulance from Corozal Community Hospital, but they accidentally went to the Rainbow Town area due to a miscommunication.
Eventually, they arrived at Rainbow FM and took Elena and the baby to the hospital, where they are doing well.
When we called the hospital for a comment, we were told to call back at 3 p.m., and then again at 5 p.m. However, after that our calls were not answered and up to press time tonight, we have not gotten a response from them.