New Mom's Health Failing, Until Nurses Put Baby On Her Chest

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - There was a joyful homecoming at Medical City Dallas on Friday morning, after a baby delivery in June did not go as planned. A nurse who works in the postpartum unit gave birth to a healthy baby. But, within minutes, her co-workers saw that she was in trouble.

Chi Tran gave birth to a son named Eric on June 29. The child was healthy, but she started hemorrhaging moments later, and had to be rushed into an operating room. "When it turned for the worst, it was very scary," recalled Medical City Dallas labor and delivery nurse Allie Jones.

"We measure the amount of blood that's being lost. When we get to a certain point, we say, 'Okay, she's in trouble,'" said Dr. Kathryn Waldrep. Tran was put on a ventilator, and needed 24 units of blood. But her levels were still not stabilizing. "In her case, it was definitely life threatening."

Things were not looking good -- until the nurses put Tran's newborn son on her chest.

"When he was born, I was not able to hold... I didn't even get to see his face. First thought in my mind when I regained my consciousness was that I need my baby," Tran said. Within about 40 minutes, Tran was off of the ventilator and moved into recovery. "He saved me. I had to pull through. I had to make it."

There were a lot of hugs and tears at Medical City Dallas on Friday morning, when Tran went back to the hospital to thank the friends and co-workers who helped. "I'm just very thankful that everyone pitched in that night and was able to save my life," Tran said, "and save my baby's life.

Tran plans to return to her job in the Medical City Dallas postpartum unit after finishing her maternity leave -- this time with a new appreciation for her own life and the work that is done at the hospital every day.