Currents News Staff
One week ago, Lacey Gonzalez held her baby for the first time. It was something that happened before she even entered the hospital.
“I remember the whole ride, my husband kept saying ‘The water hasn’t broken yet, we’re going to be okay,’” Lacey said. “‘We’ll make it, we’ll make it.’”
Lacey says her water didn’t break until the baby’s head came out and at that point, she was in the van outside Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis.
Her husband ran inside for help.
“I asked him the same question that I ask every labor patient that comes in, ‘Are they actively pushing?’” said Tiffany Owen, an HCMC security officer. “And this one time, he said ‘Yes.’”
Tiffany came to the rescue.
“The whole time I just kept looking at her eyes,” Lacey said, “and all I could see was courage. I knew everything was going to be okay.”
“I was by myself for what seemed like eternity but it was just a minute or two,” Tiffany said. “She continued to push. I caught the baby when she was born and it was a girl.”
Medical staff arrived and brought Lacey and her baby to the ER before being brought to the birth center.
On that day, Officer Tiffany Owen became an honorary midwife. She’s also a mom.
“I would say my experiences best helped her more than any of my training that I went through,” Tiffany said.
The Gonzalez family welcomed a baby girl named Tiffany, which was the same name as the officer who delivered her. It means “manifestation of God.”
Officer Tiffany called the experience amazing.
“One of the most amazing moments of my life,” she said.