Lifeguards are on duty at swimming pools and at the beach to make sure swimmers stay safe in the water. They have to keep their eyes and ears open at all times to prevent tragedy. And while their job description does include life-saving measures, it probably doesn’t say anything about life-giving. One teenage Colorado lifeguard did that when she helped deliver a baby during her shift.
“A lot of people are telling me like, ‘Oh, I wouldn’t have been able to do that, like I would have passed out or freaked out.’ I’m like, no, I just did what I was supposed to do,” Natalie Lucas told Good Morning America.
It seemed like a regular day on the job.
When 18-year-old Natalie arrived at work on July 24, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She monitored the pool like any good lifeguard and noticed a pregnant woman, Tessa Rider, and her husband, Matthew Jones, walk into the pool area. After getting settled, Tessa got into the water. Matthew explained to GMA that being in the pool relieved some of Tessa’s pregnancy discomfort. They knew the baby was coming, just not when.
“We just didn’t know if it was gonna be that day or that week and there just wasn’t a lot of certainty,” Matthew told GMA. “But the only thing that we could really do is try and make her as comfortable as possible, hence all the trips to the pool.”
Natalie realized that Tessa needed assistance.
Natalie kept an eye on Tessa and realized soon after she got into the water that she seemed to be struggling. She explained that Tessa had a pool noodle on her belly that seemed to be helping with her pain, but when she went to get out of the pool, she realized that she might need some help. Natalie soon discovered that Tessa’s water was breaking as she got out of the pool.
“I walk over and Matthew, the husband, he says to me, ‘We’re having the baby right now.’ I’m like, ‘OK!’ Adrenaline kicks in right then and there,” Natalie said.
The baby was coming fast.
Matthew told GMA that although he was calling 911, the baby wouldn’t wait. He realized quickly that his wife was ready. She was removing her swimsuit, and the baby began to crown. That’s when Natalie put her fear aside and her training into action, even though she was “freaking out a little bit.”
“I knew I needed to stay calm and level-headed,” she told GMA. “The couple was very calm about it all while it was all happening, which kind of surprised me. So I made sure to keep my head on and stay with them, keep asking them questions, keep them focused on the baby and [make sure] that they [were] the most comfortable.”
Natalie used her resources and got help from those around her.
Natalie called upon the YMCA’s front desk for medical supplies and towels, and a lap swimmer helped by calling 911. Natalie was focused on Tessa, and trying to make sure she was as comfortable as she could be, realizing they were on a tile floor just feet from the swimming pool.
“We were on the phone with the operator, making sure that the baby was breathing, that the chest was rising and falling. I had to get a towel to clean up the baby’s mouth to make sure the airway wasn’t obstructed and that he had a clear [airway for] breathing. And then the paramedics came in about five minutes later after that,” Natalie explained.
Natalie said she was just doing her job.
She says that as a lifeguard, it is her job to perform in stressful situations. And while this was like no other day she had on the job, she was just doing something she was supposed to do. This particular day is going to stay with Natalie forever.
“It’s definitely something I will never forget and I will tell the story many years in the future. But this experience has definitely opened my eyes and kind of [made me] realize just how amazing women can be … like, wow, that anything can really happen and it’s pretty cool to experience that with someone and be there with them,” Natalie said.
YMCA of Northern Colorado
Mom and baby are doing great and so thankful to Natalie.
Tobin Thomas Rider was born happy and healthy with no complications. The YMCA has granted him a lifetime membership.
“Without Natalie there, I wouldn’t have been able to give my attention to Toby. And I would say that that was everything in that moment. Tessa wanted me focused on Toby but she still needed care and that’s what Natalie was there for,” Matthew said.
He told GMA that mom and baby are both doing great. “He’s just a cute little guy, really relaxed,” Matthew said. “The situation he created around his birth was pure chaos. And now that he’s in the world, it’s quite the opposite of that.”