LAKELAND, Fla. — A Polk County mother was reunited with the paramedics who saved her newborn's life.
Ashlee Saunders said her pregnancy went smoothly with no complications until she felt pain.
"The pains ended up being so bad and so I ended up calling 911," said Saunders.
Saunders said she went into labor and her water broke while in an ambulance. A crew with Polk County Fire Rescue delivered her son. He was born about 3 months early.
"They couldn't actually get his heart rate at all because he was so small," she said.
She said her son came out feet first and the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. Paramedics performed CPR until they arrived at the hospital.
"He was blue, but they gave him oxygen," she said.
Her son, Alexander, was born in February.
This week, she was reunited with the paramedics and firefighters at Station 28 who saved her son's life.
"I was so thankful, honestly, so so thankful. It could have gone so many different ways, but it ended up just the way it was supposed to. He ended up having some complications later on," said Saunders.
Saunders said her son had to see a team of specialists, but he is doing well.
"Definitely, thank you to all the paramedics, specialists and those working on the frontlines for sure. Your job is stressful at times, but it's rewarding. We want to thank everyone who was involved, all the nurses and paramedics," she said.
