A Central Maine Healthcare (CMH) family medicine doctor recently found himself in the baby delivery business, unexpectedly.
Jan. 15 was a typical day at Minot Avenue Family Medicine in Auburn with the team taking care of respiratory illness cases, injuries and other common healthcare issues. But after the last patient of the day went home, the team faced an unexpected challenge.
Nathan Raby, DO, was finishing up paperwork after 5 p.m. when team member Alexis Libby, a medical assistant at the family practice, suddenly went into labor.
An ambulance was called, but the baby wasn’t waiting. Dr. Raby and the team were quickly pressed into service. They called the Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) maternity team right away, knowing they would have expert help on the line.
“I noted the look on Alexis’ face. I had seen it before, and I knew what it meant. I told her we needed to get her into a room and onto a table,” Dr. Raby said.
Just a few short minutes later, Alexis became a new mom. Dr. Raby and Alexis could hear the CMMC maternity team cheering in the background.
Dr. Raby said, “Instinct kicked in and I gently pulled down on the head to expose the upper shoulder, pulled gently again and out slid the entire baby, a boy. He came out singing, much to my relief, moving all his extremities with great tone and color.
“We don’t deliver babies at Minot Avenue Family Medicine. This was the first for our team and my first delivery since residency,19 years ago.
“The ambulance team arrived, and I used their maternity kit to suction out the baby’s mouth. I clamped and cut the cord and handed the baby to his mother.”
Dr. Raby is more than grateful for the support from the CMMC maternity team.
“I talked him through the delivery; he really just needed moral support because he knew just what to do,” said Janice Locke, CMN, the midwife on call at CMMC that afternoon. “I recall him chuckling, ‘I haven’t delivered a baby in 19 years!’ It was a jovial conversation with people laughing and celebrating in the background!”
The mother and baby were then taken by ambulance to CMMC for postpartum care.
Alexis has named the boy Logan. Mom and baby are doing fine.
“I’m very thankful I was in the right place at the right time and very thankful for Dr. Raby who made me feel calm during the whole experience,” she said. “I can’t wait to tell Logan his birth story when he gets older!”
Minot Avenue Family Medicine has named the exam room where the boy was born “Logan’s Room.”
Minot Avenue Family Medicine consists of six family practice professionals as well as clinical and clerical staff who work together to provide care for patients of all ages in the greater Lewiston-Auburn area.
U.S. News & World Report has recognized CMMC as “High Performing in Maternity Care.” Last year, Newsweek also named CMMC one of the best hospitals in the nation for maternity.
Additionally, CMMC received a near-perfect 97 (out of 100) score on the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition & Care survey which evaluates categories such as immediate postpartum care, breastfeeding education, and support after patient discharge. The national average score was 82.