Angels welcome baby into world
(Photo by LISA JAMES/ Hagadone News Network) Kori, left, and Tim Ost of Post Falls, sit with newborn daughter Genevieve Wednesday evening at Kootenai Health. Kori gave birth in her home early Wednesday morning, with the help of police officer Makayla Desjarlais and local EMTs.
Post Falls police officer Makayla Desjarlais helped the Osts of Post Falls deliver their baby girl in their home early Wednesday morning. It was the first time Officer Desjarlais helped deliver a baby.
By BRIAN WALKER
Hagadone News Network
POST FALLS — Post Falls Police Officer Makayla Desjarlais said she got goosebumps after being the first responder to an emergency medical call early Wednesday morning.
Baby Genevieve Ost was on her way to being born.
"I happened to be just around the corner," Desjarlais said, referring to when she was notified on patrol of a birth in progress shortly after 1 a.m. at a residence on Post Falls' west side.
"I knew it was happening fast by seeing and hearing the mom on the couch. It was evident she was in a lot of pain."
Desjarlais, with the assistance of the dispatcher, comforted the mother, Kori Ost, her husband, Tim and their two other children, Taylor, 8, and Jace, 15 months, until medics arrived.
"It was incredible to be a part of something like that," she said, adding that she doesn't have kids herself. "It wasn't like the movies at all."
Desjarlais, who has been an officer for about four years including the past seven months at Post Falls, said she now realizes many responders go an entire career without assisting in a birth.
Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Lt. Seth Hohenstreet, who caught the baby, has been in the fire and rescue service for 22 years and this was a first for him.
"I have four children of my own, and I'd never gotten to help with a delivery," he said. "It was a phenomenal experience — on my dream list. All of the difficulties with this type of work fade to the background when you get to see a sweet new life."
It was also a first for engineer/paramedic Ryan Asher, who has been a responder for 20 years.
"We normally like to reserve this for hospital staff, but the water broke and then it was go time," Asher said. "We're just happy that everything went well."
Tim was given the honor of cutting the cord. He had an entirely different birth scenario in mind.
"I was planning on me having plenty of time to get the car and the other kids ready, dropping off the kids at grandma's ... then all of this happened," he said.
Tim said he started to get ready to take Kori to Kootenai Health when she was having contractions, but Genevieve was well on her way.
"Kori said to me, 'The baby is coming. Call 911,'" he said.
Tim said the officers and medics did a fantastic job of assisting with the delivery.
"It was organized chaos," he said. "Everybody did a great job of responding and communicating. There were nine or 10 people in the living room of a doublewide trailer so it was crammed, but everything turned out great. I couldn't have asked for anything better."
Kori said it meant a lot to have such a response.
"I was so terrified because I was in so much pain," she said. "As soon as they got there, they comforted me and made me believe that I could do it. It was my first natural birth so I was really scared and it was happening really fast."
Desjarlais said she had never even been inside a room where a baby was born.
"It was a first in a lot of ways," she said with a smile.
Desjarlais said she'll never forget the roller coaster ride of seeing how Taylor was scared when she first arrived, but became overjoyed after the birth.
"The sister was hunched down with her hands by her face, so I asked the cover officer to take the kids to the bedroom," she said. "Seeing their mom in a lot of pain was difficult for them."
Desjarlais, who grew up in Post Falls, said she recognized Tim from 4-H from their youth years. Tim later remembered Desjarlais from their younger years as well.
"I just tried to stay calm for the family," she said. "I was a little freaked out, but I didn't want to show that. I just wanted to be the support system. I couldn't imagine giving birth to a baby in my living room (with medics and officers around)."
Desjarlais said the birth was a "nice change of pace" with the type of calls she responds to.
"It's nice to be a part of something positive," she said. "That's not always the case. I love my job for situations like these."
Kori said she's looking forward to telling Genevieve the story of her birth.
"It will be quite a story," Kori said. "She probably won't be able to believe it."