Surprise! It’s a new baby boy

Paramedics help deliver baby on dining room floor BY CHUCK TUCK | JOURNAL REPORTER In today’s world where dreams often fail we can always count on the miracle of giving birth.
Having children can be one of the most gratifying and rewarding experiences anyone can ever imagine in their lifetime.
A little bit of that magic happened to a Lake Stevens couple on their way to the hospital, only they never made it past the dining room.
Tom and Melissa Staffenhagen already have four beautiful children, and now have added their fifth, a new baby boy name Wyatt.
Born Feb. 22 at 1:40 a.m. baby Wyatt Staffengen was a healthy 19 inch, 8 pound 8 ounce boy.
“It was a definite surprise for sure,” Melissa said of giving birth to Wyatt at home. “I had gone to doctors the day before, and they pretty much said you have a week or so to go, so don’t worry, just go home and do your thing.”
She had gone home and gotten into bed that evening of February 21. Waking up around 12:30 a.m., Melissa had a hunch the baby may be on its way.
“At one o’clock I decided that we needed to go to the hospital, so we started to leave,” Melissa said. “So we were getting into the car, and then I turned around and said he’s going to be born here.”
Knowing the drill of having a baby, Melissa knew to stay calm but never expected what would transpire over the next 40 minutes or so.
“I told my husband that we weren’t leaving but I think he thought I was crazy or something so he called the paramedics, and they got here about five minutes before he was born,” Melissa said.
“It was perfect timing on their part,” she said.
Melissa said the actual delivery of Wyatt was very short and easy even under the stressful situation.
“The paramedic that delivered our baby walked over to my husband and asked how many children we had, and he said this is our fifth.”
Melissa then said the paramedic looked at them and said, “Ok, well let’s have a baby then.”
Melissa explained that the paramedic simply knelt down, and the baby just came out.
“He just kind of kneeled down on the floor and waited for the baby to come, and he caught him when he came out!”
She couldn’t stop praising the care and professionalism the paramedics displayed.
“I really want them to be recognized, because they have such a hard job in itself. They were very professional and respectful. They knew I wasn’t in all my glory so to speak,” she said with a giggle.
Melissa also mentioned another paramedic who helped calm her 13-year-old daughter who was a little freaked out.
“It made a huge difference for me because I knew she was being taken care of too,” Melissa said.
Melissa said the paramedics and everyone were pretty excited, but she understands that they (police and paramedics) never know what they’re going to get when they get to people’s homes.
“They were happy and pretty excited, and I think the gentleman who delivered the baby had never delivered a baby before,” she said.
Melissa also said she will never forget the paramedic who delivered Wyatt.
“Oh, I will never forget him,” she said of paramedic Curt Middleton who delivered her son and Shane Nelson who assisted.
As for choosing the name Wyatt, he already has a history to his name explained Melissa.
Melissa is a third generation LSHS alumnus and driving home one day from the doctor’s office they passed Wyatt Park, and thought that would be a fitting name for their new son.
Melissa said a relative of her husband’s had died in a tragic work related accident the year previous whose name was Wyatt.
“Earlier last year one of my husband’s cousins passed-away in a work accident and we thought this was a perfect way to honor him, it was like a tribute to him. Also Wyatt Park being a Lake Stevens thing, it’s fitting because he was born here,” Melissa said.
The Steffenhagen’s friends Keith and Alisa Partington have been family friends for a long time, and Melissa and Alisa have been friends for nearly 30 years.
“Melissa and Tom are wonderful people,” Alisa said.
Alisa was supposed to have been there for the birth of her friend’s child but believes there was a reason for her missing it by only minutes.
“I was supposed to be present during the birth of this baby; however I missed the birth by about two minutes. I only live five minutes away from them, but I believe that there was a reason I was not there for this one,” Alisa said.

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