Overview

• Aira was born on Sept. 15 in the front seat near Chicago’s Tribune Tower as Ashwin Avasarala reached over, foot on the brake, to deliver her.
• Before labor accelerated, the couple dropped their toddler at daycare after receiving guidance to wait until contractions intensified.
• Police initially told the car to move, then redirected traffic and assisted once they realized a birth was underway.
• Paramedics suctioned fluids, clamped and cut the umbilical cord, and transported the family to the ER, where Aira spent a day on oxygen and IV support.
• Mother and baby were discharged after three days, and the parents described the spot by Booth’s Gleacher Center as a “full-circle Chicago moment.”