Surprise delivery: 11 year-old daughter helps mom deliver baby in family toilet

Lareatha Rahn calls her newborn son Malikai her "miracle baby" after he survived a surprise delivery at home in the family's bathroom toilet.

Rahn told 6 News: "For him to have fallen into the toilet and nothing to happen to him, it's just a blessing. It really is."

Late Saturday night, two days past her due date, Rahn felt sudden, intense pressure in her abdomen as she went to use the restroom. She said: "I just felt like I couldn't get off the toilet... I couldn't not push. I tried to hold it in and every time I did I felt strong contractions."

As Rahn pushed, she called 9-1-1 and then asked her 11 year-old daughter Lamya for help.

Lamya told 6 News: "At first I'm like, 'No, I'm not delivering a baby. I'm not touching him after he comes out of you until he's clean!'"

Rahn said that's when she felt the baby's head slide into the toilet water. Lamya said it sounded like the baby was drowning. She told 6 News: "So I instantly grabbed him."

Lamya wrapped her new baby brother in a towel. A few minutes later, an ambulance brought the family to Nebraska Medicine where doctors say both mom and baby are perfectly healthy. Rahn is grateful for that --- and for her daughter's help bringing little Malikai into the world. Rahn said: "I"m just thankful that she was there in the moment. and I'm really proud of her because she was brave."

Little Malikai's birthday story is unique.

Nebraska Medicine averages between 130-140 newborns each month. Less than 1 percent are delivered out of the hospital, including a healthy baby born in April at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo.