She was born on the side of I-88 in Downers Grove, Illinois on Friday and is healthy due to her father's quick thinking.
"I used to make fun of people that had babies on the side of the road because I couldn't understand how you didn't make it to the hospital in time, but after yesterday now I understand how that truly does happen," said Megan Martinez, mother.
Martinez says her water broke at 7:30 a.m. Friday morning. Soon, the contractions were a minute and a half apart.
Her husband, an Illinois State Trooper, helped her to the car and started the 25-mile drive from Oswego to their hospital in Downers Grove.
"When we got to Naperville road and I-88, I told him that there's a foot hanging out, and he didn't believe me. And I reached, and there were toes. And I'm like Chad, there are toes," said Martinez.
The unexpected breech birth was just the beginning of a frightening ordeal.
Martinez says her husband pulled the vehicle to the side of I-88, with the couple's 21-month-old daughter Ava in the backseat with mom.
Maci was born within minutes, but to her parents' horror, the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck twice.
"At that point, immediately training just kicked in," said Chad Martinez, father. "I had to improvise by removing the mucous from the airway, and I actually had to do that by mouth."
He managed to revive Maci. Shortly after, an ambulance arrived to take the family to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital.
"It's very honoring. It's breath-taking. It's just overwhelming," he said.
The Martinez family said Maci is the best gift they have gotten this Christmas.
