Woman Gives Birth During Work Shift at FedEx Facility After Not Knowing She Was Pregnant

An Iowa woman went to work for a routine shift at a FedEx facility — and left with a baby in her arms.

On Monday, January 26, Amethyst Blumberg gave birth to a baby boy while on the job at a FedEx facility in Grimes, Iowa, according to local reports. The shocking part: she didn’t know she was pregnant.

Blumberg said she was finishing her shift around 8 a.m. when she suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to use the restroom. What she thought would be a brief break quickly turned into something far more serious.

“After that, I couldn’t even get off the toilet,” she told local outlets, explaining that she managed to call for help by opening the bathroom door. Moments later, the situation became clear. “I get up, and I’m like, I feel his head,” she said.

Emergency crews from the Johnston-Grimes Fire District rushed to the scene and arrived just minutes before the baby was born. Radio traffic indicated medics arrived at 8:29 a.m., and the baby was delivered just four minutes later, at 8:33 a.m.

Blumberg gave birth on the floor of her workplace before she and her newborn were transported to a nearby hospital. Both mother and baby were reported to be healthy and resting.

Her son, whom she named Onyx King Easterlie, weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 19 inches long.

Now a mother of two, Blumberg said this pregnancy was completely different from her first. “With my first one, I had all the symptoms,” she said. “With this one, I had nothing at all. I was losing weight at work.”

She explained that the only signs came at the very end. “The only thing I felt was back labor. And when he was descending, I felt him move.”

Despite the shock, Blumberg described her newborn as “perfect,” affectionately calling him “our FedEx baby.”

First responders said the unexpected delivery was unforgettable but rewarding. “I’ve seen a lot of things in my field, so I don’t get too surprised anymore,” said Nick Pearson of the Johnston-Grimes Fire District. “I’m just very happy that she was healthy and the baby was healthy.”