When Liraz and Shahar Hodera imagined the day their daughter, Sol, would be born, they probably didn't imagine it would go quite like this.
On Tuesday, as the couple were preparing to leave for the hospital, Liraz's contractions had begun taking place at alarmingly short intervals.
Shahar called 101 for an ambulance to arrive at their house after Liraz's water broke and ran to the car, quickly realizing the couple would not have enough time to drive to the hospital.
Einav Harel, the MDA medic who answered Shahar's call, tried to keep the expecting parents calm as they waited for a medical team to arrive, before quickly realizing that the baby's head had already begun crowning.
On the phone, Harel can be heard telling Shahar that "We will arrive in a few minutes, warm up the room and be attentive to your wife. I'm here to help you - put clean towels in the room."
Seconds later, when she realized the baby's head had begun crowning, Harel told Shahar to "Support the head and do not pull, wrap it in a clean towel and make sure she is crying and breathing properly. We are on our way."
With the new skill he learned, the excited father said "I realized very quickly that we would not get to the hospital and that the birth was starting. [Liraz's] water broke, I called MDA and a few minutes later I was already with the little baby Sol in my hands," he told MDA after the birth.
"It was a special moment, but I hope it's a once in a lifetime experience," Shahar said, jokingly. "I was lucky that I was there and that I was able to function and help my wife give birth."
He thanked Harel and MDA for the guidance, saying that "Einav is completely the heroine of the hour, we needed her professional guidance and accompaniment. When I knew there was someone with me on the other side - I relaxed. Many thanks to MDA."
Harel herself congratulated the happy couple after the birth, adding that "Shahar performed wonderfully and was attentive and relaxed - both to Liraz and of course to me."
"It is a very exciting event and even though I have been at MDA for 20 years and helped hundreds of pregnant women over the phone, this is the first time I have given birth remotely," Harel added.
The new mother, Liraz, said after the birth that "Everything happened very quickly, I did not have time to digest. I experienced the moment and was not afraid."
"It was an extraordinary moment for all of us," Liraz added. "Shahar received instructions - was focused on his mission and performed very well. I am very proud of him.