Baby girl couldn't wait and was born on side of I-270 in Germantown

GERMANTOWN, Md. — A healthy baby girl was born on the roadside of Interstate 270 Friday in Germantown, Maryland, with the help of first responders.

Pete Piringer, a spokesperson for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, said the mother delivered the baby along southbound on I-270 at around 2 a.m. 

Alexa Almonte, the mother, said the delivery was "very unexpected," and it came just 30 minutes after experiencing signs of labor, according to a release by the Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center.

Almonte and her baby girl were transported to the hospital, according to Piringer.

Almonte named the baby Valentina, which means "healthy and strong." Valentina weighs 7 pounds, 15 ounces, and measures 21 inches, the release said.

Almonte also has two sons. Valentina is Almonte's third child.

Almnote and her baby are getting so much-needed rest. They are receiving care at the Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center.

Almonte believes the exciting arrival of Valentina is a sign that she will remain strong and exceptional, according to the release. “God was very intentional in how he picked her to come,” Almonte said.

Almonte thanks the nurses at Shady Grove Medical Center for the care and emotional support they have been providing to her family after the delivery. "It's so important to have," Almonte said.