Perry couple has unexpected delivery
A young Perryopolis couple had one crazy morning, beginning with the unexpected birth of their first daughter in their home. Nahtanha Glisan, 23, of Perryopolis was caught a bit off guard Saturday, when she began having early morning contractions and ended up giving birth to Fleurance Galena Metts at home.
It wasn’t quite how she planned it, but things have a funny way of working themselves out.
“I thought no way this was real. I didn’t think it would happen so fast,” Glisan said. “I figured I would have six to eight hours of labor not 45 minutes. In a matter of five minutes, she was here.”
Glisan said she was sleeping when she felt a “little pop.” But when Glisan began feeling contractions in the lower part of her belly, she didn’t think she was in labor.
This was her second pregnancy. The couple also has a 3-year-old son, Austen Metts, so she thought she knew what to expect. Plus her due date was Jan. 18, so she thought she had time.
Glisan had her fianc’ Paul Metts, 22, call the doctor, while she took a shower.
But Glisan’s time had run out.
By the time she got out the shower and was ready to go to the hospital, she realized she couldn’t go any further. “I wasn’t able to walk or function,” Glisan said.
So Metts called 911 this time, requesting an ambulance. By this time, Glisan said she just “had the urge to push.”
Glisan told Metts about her “urge.”
He begged her not to push, but it was too late. Glisan said she could already feel the baby’s head. She knew she was going to give birth at home.
The ambulance was on its way, but there was no time to wait.
So a brave Metts stepped up to the challenge and with the help of 911 operator Paul Saletrick delivered his dark-haired, dark blue-eyed daughter on the floor of his Route 51 home.
According to 911 reports, Fleurance was born at 6:57 a.m. Saturday. She weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces.
The whole delivery process was crazy, according to Glisan, who remembers being a little less than helpful during the ordeal.
“He (Metts) was focused. He was trying to listen to 911, while I was on my knees leaning on the bed. He told me I had to lie down, but I was not cooperating. I remember grabbing him by his shirt and pulling his face to mine and yelling,” Glisan said.
Metts said he just remembers being scared and trying to follow the operator’s directions.
“I was very, very nervous and scared to death. There’s no words for it. He (operator) explained what to do and helped me a lot. I was still scared even with help,” Metts said.
Metts said he helped guide the baby from the womb, turning her head sideways as she entered the world. He then cleaned her nose and mouth.
Metts said when the paramedics arrived the baby was already born.
“All they had to do was cut the cord,” he said.
While Metts was delivering his daughter, paramedics were having a hard time finding the house. And if Glisan’s mother and step-father, Delcia and Carl Mills of Grindstone, hadn’t taken an alternate route to their daughter’s home, it may have taken even longer for an ambulance to arrive at the scene.
The couple usually travels through Crabapple to get to Glisan’s house. On the morning of the birth, they traveled through Smock where they found two ambulances stopped in the middle of the road. They asked them if they were responding to a baby delivery call. The paramedics said yes.
So they told the ambulance drivers to follow them.
Delcia Mills said as soon as she entered the house she heard the baby.
“I don’t know if I could put that feeling into words. It’s just wonderful,” she said.
One of the ambulances rushed Glisan and the baby to the Uniontown Hospital, but the other remained stuck in the driveway for almost an hour.
Metts said they didn’t realize the other ambulance was stuck until they arrived at the hospital.
As if the events hadn’t already been a bit quirky, Metts found upon his return from the hospital that his yellow Lab mix, Madison, had also given birth to nine puppies.
“I heard something in the box and when I looked in I saw nine puppies,” Metts said.
Metts said Madison and Glisan probably gave birth around the same time because when he found the puppies, they had already been cleaned and dried.
He said he will keep one of the puppies since they share the same birthday with his daughter. The rest will go to family and friends.
Metts said friends and family are very excited about the birth of their baby and love hearing the story.
“Everyone’s excited. They can’t believe it. Everyone is happy for us,” Metts said.
Glisan and Metts said the whole ordeal is something they will never forget.
“The entire morning was a whole string of coincidences,” Glisan said.
“Everything, every detail will be in my mind forever,” Metts said.