Catching Up With the Parkway Baby

Dana Highland says her 4-month old son, Dominic, is a "happy, healthy" baby.

His nickname is the "Parkway Peanut," and he definitely earned it.

Baby Dominic's birth on Sept. 23, 2011, received more attention than many of the other babies who were born on that day—that's because he couldn't wait until his parents got to the hospital and was near the Wilkinsburg on-ramp.

Dana, who is busy these days with her youngest son and his two siblings, Delaney, 2, and David, 5, already was scheduled to be induced on Sept. 23. However, the night before, a nurse from UPMC Mercy Hospital called to say the induction had to be canceled due to lack of space and staff.

"I was upset because I wasn't crazy about the idea of being induced a week early, but I had convinced myself that this was the best way to go and only way to ensure my doctor would be there when I went into labor," Dana said. "I did not want another doctor from another practice delivering my child. I wanted my doctor only—little did I know I would have no doctor."

Dana said she had warmed up to the idea of being induced on Sept. 23 because it was the birthday of her late aunt. She declined the offer to be induced a day later and let nature run its course.

But Dominic didn't want to wait. Dana woke up at 3 a.m. on Sept. 23 with contractions.

When her water broke in the next few hours, she and her husband, Dave, dropped the kids off at her parents' house in Penn Hills and headed to the hospital.

"I knew what to expect as far as labor and delivery, but I didn't know what childbirth was like without an epidural, so I was scared," she said. "Since I was a week early (Dominic's due date was Sept. 30), I didn't think it was really happening.  I honestly thought that I wanted to have the baby so bad on my aunt's birthday, it was all in my head and I just wanted to be in labor, so I ignored the contractions at first."

Thinking that Dave would get her to the hospital faster than an ambulance, Dana didn't call 911.

"I remember begging him to pass people up," she said. "I knew we wouldn't make it at that point and I was really scared. He jumped on the parkway in Penn Hills off the Monroeville Business 22 exit, and down the parkway we went. I was begging him to help me get my pants off because I knew I wasn't making it and he kept saying, 'We'll make it.'"

Dave was on the phone with 911, but continued to drive. Dana then gave birth to Dominic at 5:46 a.m.

"I just put my hand down to check and felt the head. I couldn't believe it," she said. "At that very moment, my body forced me to push again. I held onto the baby, and there he was in my hands. It happened so fast.

"My husband told the dispatcher that the baby was out. I held him there afraid to move him."

Dave pulled over, wrapped the baby in his shirt and waited for the ambulance. Once the EMS crews were there, the couple and new baby headed to the UPMC Mercy Hospital.

"I remember getting to the hospital and seeing my husband, and when everyone there realized we were the 'parkway people' they all cheered and congratulated Dave on a job well done," she said. "That is when I yelled, 'Hey, I delivered the baby myself, he refused to pull over!' I couldn't let him get all the credit."

Dana has been busy caring for her three children, and though it's been time-consuming, she says it's what she does best.

"I've been home enjoying my babies and loving every second of it," she said.

Dominic definitely will hear about how he entered the crazy world.

"I want him to know how much it meant to me to be the very first person to hold him and look into those beautiful eyes," Dana said. "His first breath took mine away as it does every time I look at him. I love him so much. He has been such a blessing to our whole family."