'I Thought it Was a Doll': Couple Surprises Mother With New Grandchild

A Tennessee woman captured the heartwarming moment her mother walked into the hospital room and realized that she had already birthed her new grandchild.

Shelby Pafford said her husband called her mother shortly after she gave birth to their daughter, Elsie, on January 21, to ask her for help.

Video filmed by Pafford shows her mother entering the room ready to help with the labor process, before realizing that her daughter already gave birth. “I thought it was a doll,” she says after seeing her new grandchild for the first time.

“She said it was the best surprise ever and she was so excited to get to come spend the day with me and Elsie and was so proud I had her on my own,” Pafford said. Credit: Shelby Pafford via Storyful

Video transcript

- Hi.

- She's coming today.

- Uh uh. What? What? Shelby [? Dunkin. ?]

- [INAUDIBLE]

- Oh, my gosh.

- Look how tiny she is. Look at this.

- Look at the hair.

- Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. I just need to put this on.

- You're fine.

- Y'all, what happened? What happened?

- We came here at like 8:45 last night.

- Come look at this right now.

- 8:45 and she was born at--

- I thought it was a doll.

- Born at 6:33.

- Chelsea is pissed all the way up to here.

- Come look at this.

- Are you done?

- You don't have to wear that.

- Yeah, I'm scared. Like, how much does she weigh?

- Look at her.

- She was 17.