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Dad delivers baby girl on ferry

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) – A baby girl was born on the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry early Wednesday morning, according to a spokeswoman with the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Parents Kayla and Jonathan Cline say they were on the way to Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center from their home in Surry County when the baby couldn’t wait to enter the world.

“My water broke on the ferry,” said Mrs. Cline. “It was so much pressure, and I thought I was going to have a bowel movement. Five seconds later I said, ‘Jonathan, this baby is coming! I’m pushing this baby out,’ and that’s exactly what happened.”

Cline says she started having contractions Tuesday and by 1 a.m. the following morning she knew it was time to get to the hospital.

“I could feel the baby’s head going down further and further and my body was just telling me to push,” said Cline, of the moment she knew she wouldn’t make it to the hospital.

Her husband delivered the baby at 3:06 a.m. in his pickup truck on the ferry. Emmaleigh Jane Cline was born weighing six pounds, 12 ounces and was 19 inches long.

The couple brought two pillows with them to the trip, and Cline says the pillowcases were used to wrap the baby after the birth.

“When she came out her umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck twice,” said Cline.

Mr. Cline was able to unwrap the umbilical cord and successfully finish the delivery while illuminating his dark truck with a flashlight. VDOT employees and other people on board helped out. Cline says the birth took about 10 minutes.

“I can’t believe I delivered my baby on a boat,” said Mr. Cline, who reports the baby is happy and healthy. “It’s pretty crazy. Never in a million years did I think I would be delivering my baby girl on the Williamsburg boat.”

After the birth, Mr. Cline says it took the ferry about seven more minutes to get to land. Emergency crews met the couple and escorted them to the hospital.

“The people on the boat were very aware that we were having a baby, and they were doing everything they could,” said Cline. “They did a really good job.”

Representatives with VDOT and the parents of the baby girl will speak on camera with the media this afternoon. Stay tuned for updates.