Holidaymaking nurse couple help deliver premature baby 35,000ft in the air when fellow passenger went into labour on nine-hour flight to the Philippines
- Sheryl and Ruel Pascua, from Stoke-on-Trent, were flying to the island country
- They had caught their first flight to Kuwait before starting the next leg to Manila
- It was after just 20 minutes that a mother-to-be realised that she needed help
A couple jetting off on holiday helped deliver a premature baby after a fellow passenger went into labour on a nine-hour flight to the Philippines.
Sheryl and Ruel Pascua, from Newstead, Stoke-on-Trent, were 35,000ft up in the air when cabin crew put out an urgent call for ‘medical professionals’ on board the plane.
The duo, who work as nurses at NG Healthcare, in Trentham, were flying to the island country of Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean on August 2.
They had caught their first flight from London Heathrow to Kuwait before starting the second leg of the journey to Manila.
It was after just 20 minutes that a mother-to-be, also named Sheryl, realised she needed help after going into labour at just six months.
Sheryl and Ruel were assisted by two other nurses who were also on board. She said: ‘When I attempted to conduct the internal examination, I was surprised and thrilled that the mother was already at the crowning stage.
Sheryl and Ruel Pascua (pictured), from Newstead, Stoke-on-Trent, were 35,000ft up in the air when cabin crew put out an urgent call for ‘medical professionals’ on board the Kuwaiti Airways flight
It was after just 20 minutes that a mother-to-be, also named Sheryl (above), realised she needed help after going into labour at just six months
‘I shouted for Ruel to help to coach and prepare her and within a few moments the baby boy came out. He caught the baby whilst I attended and focused on the mother and the placental delivery.
‘I was a bit nervous as it was pretty scary and beyond every medical personnel’s comfort. The baby was only roughly 24-weeks-old so the size was the same size as the palm of my husband, he was very tiny.
‘This is the first time I helped a mother on a flight and the medical equipment is not complete so we had to improvise and be of critical thinking.
‘It was the most thrilling, exciting and at the same time the most humbling experience of me and my husband in our entire nursing profession. We attend to patients’ needs three to four times a week but this experience is so different and unique.
‘I am so honoured and privileged that God has orchestrated these things to happen and use me, my husband and Carlos Abungan, another nurse from London, to save the baby and mother for the whole entire nine-hour journey.’
Sheryl has kept in touch with the mother of the baby after they were rushed into the neonatal intensive care unit at a local hospital. The little boy was put on a ventilator and is understood to be doing well.
Sheryl has kept in touch with the mother of the baby after they were rushed into the neonatal intensive care unit at a local hospital. Pictured: Members of the flight crew posing with the baby
She added: ‘God did a miracle and the baby is alive. The support and shared knowledge between us nurses made the situation and pressure lighter.
‘Of course, we don’t discount the help, alertness and assistance of the cabin crews especially to their off-duty onboard nurse crew Justine who stood by me throughout the entire monitoring and also to the other crew and passengers who extended help by giving their blankets.
‘It was indeed a picture of one team working together and the mother was very thankful.’
The airline has been contacted for comment.
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