Passengers on a flight between Africa and Europe had a trip to remember recently as a woman gave birth while in the air.
A flight departing from Dakar, Senegal, and bound for Brussels in Belgium, landed with one more passenger than they departed with, after a heavily pregnant woman went into labor shortly after take-off.
Brussels Airline shared the incredible story on its Facebook page, and explained cabin crew member Jennifer Joie, “along with a newly graduated nurse and a doctor on board, helped bring this little bundle of joy into the world.”
It shared a photo of Joie holding the newborn, who the airline revealed has been named Fanta, with the baby’s mother visible resting in the back.
“It was a true reflection of teamwork, care, and the extraordinary moments that happen in the sky,” a spokesperson wrote on the post. “Welcome to the world, little Fanta! We hope to have you on board again one day!”
In a comment to Newsweek, Joie explained the pregnant passenger contacted cabin crew and said she had “severe stomach pains.”
“We immediately made an announcement to all passengers, asking if there were doctors or nurses on board. A young woman reached out to me, she just graduated as a nurse. We went to the rear galley, together with the pregnant woman,” she said.
As Joie, a mother herself, recognized the woman may be in labor, she asked her to time her contractions—and “not much later, her water broke and then we knew for sure she was about to give birth.”
They notified the cockpit, and the decision was made to turn the plane around, but “as we had just taken off for a long-haul flight, we had a lot of fuel on board, so there were also some safety checks to run, to make sure we could land safely.”
And, “before we knew, the baby was there.”
“The first moments were a bit stressful,” Joie said. “Is the baby okay? Is she breathing? But then she started crying, and a doctor on board could confirm she was a healthy baby.”
Joie said she has been trained to deal with “all kinds of situations, including someone giving birth on board,” and “as soon as the woman told us she was in pain, we remained calm and did what we have to do.”
She called it “something magical,” and said she was “really proud I was able to assist on that flight,” adding: “I’m really curious to know how the little baby is doing now, and I hope I’ll see her again some day.”
There was a huge response to the story, with one praising everyone for an “awesome job,” and another writing: “Fantastic! No better words to describe this!”
“Congratulations for your teamwork, it must have been an amazing experience,” another wrote, as one said: “Congratulations Madam for your lovely baby girl, I hope you are now feeling ok and safe, and that you will have some well deserved rest.”
And one man stated he was on that flight, writing: “My wife and I were on that flight. Cheers to the crew and the fabulous announcement: ‘We have a little new passenger on board.’ Special moment!”
According to the Brussels Airlines website, pregnant women in normal health can travel by air up to 36 weeks into their pregnancy, or four weeks before their expected due date. However, women further than 26 weeks into their pregnancy are recommended to carry a medical clearance note from their doctor.
Nico Cardone, a spokesperson for Brussels Airlines, told Newsweek: “Our talented cabin crew members undergo rigorous training at the start of their careers at Brussels Airlines. This training includes extensive first aid instruction, even covering how to assist with a birth on board.
“We are proud to see how professionally and compassionately our cabin crew handled this situation in flight.”
He added: “A few days after the flight, we reached out to the parents and were delighted to learn that both the mother and baby were in good health. We were also informed that the baby has been named Fanta. We wish the family all the best.”
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