Military dad watches birth of child on Facetime, meets baby day later
Courtesy of Washington Health System
Baby Penelope is decked out in red, white and blue after her arrival.
Courtesy of Washington Health System
Ryan Siebert and fiancee Kelcie Christopher share a moment with their newborn daughter, Penelope.
Courtesy of Washington Health System
Ryan Siebert and his fiancee, Kelcie Christopher, with newborn daughter, Penelope
Ryan Siebert was more than 4,300 miles away from home, but that didn’t stop him from watching the birth of his daughter at Washington Health System Washington Hospital on Wednesday.
Siebert, 26, a sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed in Europe, witnessed his fiancee, Kelcie Christopher, give birth to the couple’s daughter, Penelope, on FaceTime.
“It was pretty amazing. I felt like I was there the entire time,” said Siebert.
Christopher, 26, said her due date was Nov. 19, and Siebert was scheduled to fly home a few days before.
But on Wednesday afternoon, Christopher, who is also an Army sergeant, went into labor while she was visiting her parents in Washington.
“I FaceTimed him to let him know my water broke, and at that time we both kind of knew he wasn’t going to be able to make it home,” recalled Christopher.
Siebert sprang into action and booked the first available commercial flight, which included three connecting flights.
Meanwhile, WHS made arrangements for Siebert to watch the live feed of the delivery.
Siebert recalled that one of the nurses who was part of the obstetrics team during the delivery, Heather West, held the phone close to Christopher throughout her C-section and that, afterward, “wherever Penelope went, she went so I could see her.”
West even captured some photos of Siebert’s emotional, tearful reaction after Penelope’s birth (at 3:44 p.m.) and video of Siebert singing to his new daughter.
“It was immersive. Our nurses were so proactive; they were awesome. Everything happened so fast,” said Siebert, who was still on the base when 7-pound, 1-ounce Penelope was born.
Christopher noted that it was a good thing Siebert wasn’t on his way home during the delivery because if the plane was in the air at that time, he probably wouldn’t have been able to see the birth.
West said the team got caught up in the emotion of the events.
“It was so special to be part of such a heart-warming beginning to their family,” said West. “It was neat to be able to see it through, too, from FaceTime in Europe to his arrival in Pennsylvania.”
The proud dad got to hold his daughter in person on Thursday – Veterans Day – at about 6 p.m., after heading directly from Pittsburgh International Airport to the hospital, where hospital staff whisked him to Christopher’s suite.
There, nurses videotaped the family being reunited.
“It’s like our own Hallmark movie,” said nurse practitioner BethAnn Schaeber.
Christopher said she’s happy to have video of the family’s reunion.
She was released from the hospital Friday afternoon, and the family was busy getting settled into their Monongahela home.
Meanwhile, Siebert is working to get his leave extended through Thanksgiving.
“Penelope’s amazing,” said Siebert. “I thought she was beautiful on FaceTime, and she’s gorgeous in person.”