Cambria Woman Gives Birth on Highway 1

A women in labor ran out of time and gave birth along Highway 1 near Cayucos.

She is recovering at the Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center.

Maria Cardenas, 28, and her baby , David, are healthy and happy.

She was nervous, but remembered what her mother told her to do.

She and her partner Josue Garcia, 26, have a 7-year-old son. Maria knew what a natural birth felt like, but baby David’s birth happened quickly.

Garcia, was working at a restaurant near their home in Cambria, when he got the call. They started driving on Highway 1 but there was traffic.

Maria Cardenas couldn’t wait any longer, Garcia pulled over and delivered the baby.

It took Cardenas three minutes to give birth. Help arrived a few minutes later and found the mother and baby healthy well.

Daniel Ware, was one of the first firefighters on scene. Ware said he’s been on several calls where the mothers has been close to delivering the baby.

“We got there and she did it on her own before help arrived. She had no pain medication or anything,” Ware said.

Local ambulance arrived on scene; a medic intern cut the umbilical cord.

“This is very uncommon.” Ware said.

The mother and baby should soon be out of Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo.