It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a … baby! A mum in America has welcomed her third child in a sky-high birthing experience that takes surprise deliveries to new heights.
At 36 weeks pregnant, Cristina Penton boarded Spirit flight 971 from Florida to Texas with her two children – Lulu, 11 and Ramon,12. She never imagined she’d step off the flight with a newborn in her arms.
But that is exactly what happened. Cristina went into labour shortly after boarding the three-hour flight and, although the captain diverted the plane to a closer airport in New Orleans, the eager little cherub couldn’t wait for landing.
Baby on board!
“Everything started happening very quickly,” Cristina said in a statement. “It was clear I was having my baby, and I was in pure panic.”
Luckily for Cristina, a paediatrician and a nurse who happened to be on board coached her through contractions. The supermum delivered her third baby, Christoph Lezcano, mid-flight and in front of an entire plane of people in only 10 minutes!
And, when Christoph let out that first cry, notifying the world that he had arrived, the entire plane broke out in applause.
Free flights for life
Medical personnel met Cristina at the gate in New Orleans and whisked the family to a nearby hospital, where Christoph weighed in at a healthy 3.17 kg.
The headline-making delivery has earned baby Chistoph and his family free flights with Spirit Airlines every year on his birthday for life.
What an amazing way to enter the world – talk about an uplifting birth story! Congrats Cristina and welcome Christoph!
More birth stories from the Grapeviner community…
- Birth Story: not your average newborn, baby makes big debut
- Birth Story: 12-year-old helps deliver her baby brother
- Birth Story: Family shares their secrets to raising quintuplets
About to (or just had) a baby?
We know that the wait to meet your baby can be nerve-wracking, but we’re here to remind you that you’re not alone. Our private Pregnancy & Baby Groups are a great way to connect with other Aussie mums who are due or had their babies around the same time as you.
