New York, Jan 16: An Indian-origin woman gave birth to her first child during the train ride from New Jersey to New York, in what would be her most unforgettable journey.
At first, Rabita Sarker, 31, of New Jersey said she thought she was experiencing false labour pains as she boarded the train run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in Jersey City.
But as the Manhattan-bound entered New York, Sarker knew her baby could nor wait any longer.
As she went into labour, few passengers helped her panicked husband deliver the baby boy they nicknamed “Jhatpat” - the Hindi word for “fast”, a report in the New York Daily News said.
“He decided to come and that was it. Nothing could stop him. Nothing could keep him inside for longer,” the report quoted Sarker as saying.
She was later admitted to a New York hospital. “I don't think anybody could actually dream of such a delivery,” she added.
Sarker and her 30-year-old husband, Aditya Saurabh, were already on their way to the hospital for a medical check-up. “We were coming here to check if it was false labor or not,” she said.
“I was like, ‘Okay, I'm just doing it for peace of mind'”. Wanting to avoid the always-crowded Lincoln Tunnel, they decided to take the commuter train ‘PATH' that runs from New Jersey to New York.
Sarker said she knew something was wrong shortly after boarding the train. She said she couldn't believe the baby was really emerging. An elderly woman seated in front of her volunteered to help.
When the baby was born, Saurabh placed him on her stomach. Other passengers alerted the conductor, who radioed ahead for an ambulance to meet the train, the report added.
“As the train came into the station, the woman had already given birth,” said Port Authority Police Sergeant Mike Barry, who was waiting on the platform with two other officers, paramedics and blankets.
