Berkeley Heights Teen Helps Deliver Baby Inside Home

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ — It was not exactly how the Windt family planned on having their second daughter, but delivering Ava on the bedroom floor of their home will be something they will remember forever.

It all started on the night of Thursday, March 9 when Angela Windt began feeling contractions. She and her husband Paul of Berkeley Heights went to Overlook Hospital because they thought she was in labor.

“The hospital told us we were too early and then all the contractions stopped,” Angela told Patch.

The following morning she had the same feeling again and went to her doctor, who also said she was too early. Angela wasn’t due to give birth for two more weeks.

The around 7 p.m. on Friday, March 10 she started having contractions again over the next two hours.

“This is my second child so I know the feelings and thought we have time,” Angela said.

At 8:45 p.m., her water broke and they knew it was time to go to the hospital. Paul called the doctor to say they were on their way. But just as Angela was getting out of bed to head to the hospital, she realized…

“We weren’t going to make it,” Angela said. “It was complete pandemonium.”

Paul immediately called 9-1-1 and to Angela it felt like 15 minutes had passed. She thought Paul would have to deliver his own daughter.

In actuality, only five minutes had passed when the Berkeley Heights Volunteer Rescue Squad showed up.

As luck would have it, the four certified EMT's had been out on another call and just got back to the station when the call came in. None of them had driven home yet. And the station is right behind the Windt’s home.

None of the rescue squad members had delivered a baby before but were certified in childbirth. Three of the members assisted Nicole Segalini, who is 18, while she delivered the baby.

Ava Sharon Windt was born at 9:42 p.m. that night, weighing 6 pounds and 10 ounces and 20 inches long.

“This was a first for them,” Angela said of the rescue workers. “They were amazing and fast thank goodness… Eva came out 20 minutes after my water broke. We would’ve never made it to hospital.”

Angela and her family thanks the rescue workers Nicole Segalini, Joe Plocinski, Andy Damato and Chief Samantha Lloyd and the three police officers who also assisted.

“Thank goodness all went well,” Angela said. “The first responders are absolutely amazing. They took really good care of us and we are so grateful.”

(Photos provided: Angela, Paul, Alexa and baby Ava)

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.