Snye dad delivers baby on sofa

A 29-year-old Akwesasne man earned an accomplishment few others in Akwesasne can compete with: He delivered a baby.

Michael King of Tsi Snaihne (Snye) is now the proud father of a baby girl who he physically delivered on the couch of his home early Monday morning.

“I was just getting ready for work (at about 6 a.m.) and my girlfriend said she needed to go to the hospital, that she was going to have the baby,” King said Monday afternoon from a hospital room.

King then called his mother to come over so she could baby-sit the other kids in the home while he took his girlfriend, Theresa “Blue” Angus, to the hospital.

“A few minutes later, he called me back and said ‘Nevermind, she’s ready to have the baby on the couch!” King’s mother Rhonda said.

King said that after Angus realized she was starting labor, she hopped in the shower to get ready. While in there, her water broke.

“By the time she got out, I had to help her to the couch,” he said.

In just minutes, the woman was in full labor and the couple knew they were going to have their baby on the couch.

“I was scared,” King said. “Really scared.”

The Mohawk Council Ambulance was called immediately, but by the time they arrived, the father had already delivered the baby – a beautiful, healthy baby girl.

The baby had just been born about five minutes before the ambulance crew arrived and King hadn’t even had time to cut the umbilical cord yet.

“I just held the baby and waited for the ambulance to get there,” he said.

The baby was born on July 21 – one week before Angus’ July 28 due date, King said. The 6 lbs. 10 oz. girl was Angus’ sixth child.

“She didn’t think it was all going to happen so fast,” King said of his girlfriend.

Her previous children were also born quickly though, he added. “Usually about an hour after we got to the hospital.”

The ambulance transported the mom and baby to Cornwall Community Hospital where a doctor examined them and determined both to be healthy. They were admitted as standard procedure.

On Monday afternoon, the overwhelmed parents had not yet picked out a name.