'Exactly how the universe wanted it to be': Mom delivers baby on side of Florida road with help from doula

PALM COAST, Fla. - A "miracle baby" was born on the side of a Florida road and his mother was thankful to have her "doula" accompanying her in the car when she went into labor.

For those unfamiliar with the term, a doula is described as "a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to their client before, during, and shortly after childbirth," according to the doula training and certification organization DONA International.

The Palm Coast mother, Isis Maurice, thought she might be going into labor early, so she and her doula were on the way to the hospital. However, her baby boy, Akovi, couldn't wait to enter the world and was delivered on the side of the road.

Doula Tabatha Seppala was driving Isis to the hospital when Isis felt like Avoki was coming. They pulled over at 1:48 p.m. Sunday, and by 1:54 p.m., he was born.

A "miracle baby" was born on the side of a Florida road and his mother was thankful to have her "doula" accompanying her in the car when she went into labor. [Credit: Isis Maurice]

"She said I think I need to push. And she was calm, and I said, 'Let's try to slowly breathe,' because I’m like, ‘Let’s not do this on the side of the road!’" said Seppala. "I directed her to start pushing him towards my hand. I did not think the next push was going to be a whole baby because he was so small."

A "miracle baby" was born on the side of a Florida road and his mother was thankful to have her "doula" accompanying her in the car when she went into labor. [Credit: Isis Maurice]

Seppala said, thankfully a nurse drove past them, stopped, brought them medical gloves, and called 911.

"I’m telling you everything about this was exactly how the universe wanted it to be there was something divine about this experience," Seppala said.

Baby Akovi was born weeks early – Isis was 36 weeks pregnant and had a scheduled induction on July 13. Because of a health condition, Isis was on a blood thinner so that made this delivery even more dangerous.

"My concern was that she was going to be hemorrhaging on the side of the road because she’s on these blood thinners and that is the risk," Seppala said.

A "miracle baby" was born on the side of a Florida road and his mother was thankful to have her "doula" accompanying her in the car when she went into labor. [Credit: Isis Maurice]

Akovi and his mom are healthy. His parents even laughed about the crazy birth of their first "miracle baby."

"They have nicknamed him their ‘little hitchhiker,’" Seppala said.