Doctor helps with baby's delivery through FaceTime

Toni Yates Image
Friday, March 13, 2015
Toni Yates has the story.

NEWARK -- Little Rafael Rivera called the shots even before he was born. He decided the staff at his mother's doctor's office need a little adventure. Mom had gone for a checkup only at her doctor's Newark office.

"When I got there, the nurses were like, 'lay down' - everybody was comforting me," says Rafael's mother, Keyanna Rivera.

Keyann's pain suddenlt started, and her water broke.

"And in 20 minutes, she said, 'I have to push' - I said 'no you can't, because the doctor is not here!" said Medical Assistant Oswaida Torres.

Dr. Meena Devalla was at Clara Maas Hospital in Belleville seeing other patients, so her office staff stepped up in a very big way.

"I called my coworkers to get gloves, towels, sheets and we had her push. She had to - he was coming," said Dr. Devalla.

In 60 seconds, Rafael was there...and so was the doctor - sort of. Dr. Devalla's staff thought to not only call her, but to facetime her.

"The girls called, and I was in a daze - what was happening?" added Dr. Devalla.

Dad held the phone, while the women followed the doctor's orders.

"She told me to put two clamps and cut the cord, so that's what I did," says Medical Assistant Samantha Syblis.

The doctor wasn't there physically, but she was there in a way to make a difference for her staff and her mom-to-be. 7 pounds, 10 ounces, and a day to remember.