A Southington family welcomed their second child sooner than they expected.
Erica Bovino always wanted to give birth at home, but what happened on May 6, wasn't exactly what she had in mind.
"I went into labor at 1 a.m. I figured I had plenty of time because with my first son Jack, it was 30 hours long." Erica said.
However, there was no time. She called her husband Paul, who was at work. As soon as she got off the phone, she knew the baby was coming.
"I got off the phone with him and my water broke. And I thought, 'OK, this is really happening and I don't have time to get to Yale-New Haven Hospital," Erica said.
All of this was happening while Erica's 3-year-old son Jack was asleep in his bedroom. Erica went upstairs to the bathroom.
"I squatted and, not even I would say, five minutes later she was born. I looked up and had her up like this and boom her eyes opened," Erica said.
Baby Stella was born wide-eyed and healthy.
Minutes later, Erica's husband walked in the back door and did not yet know his daughter was already born.
"To come home and find Erica holding a baby, it's amazing," Paul Sulzicki said.
Paul called 911 and paramedics took the family to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where Erica and Stella spent a few days. The proud husband and dad said their story was the talk among the hospital staff.
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"Everyone at the hospital called her a super woman, a trooper. Just absolutely amazing what she did by herself," said Paul.
Erica always wanted to give birth at home with the help of a midwife. But obviously plans changed. It's a story she can't wait to tell her daughter.
"It was the ultimate test for me. She came when she wanted to come and she wasn't holding back," Erica said.
