Second-time parents and Lota residents April and Isaac welcomed their baby boy Felix at Redland Hospital during the early hours of Monday morning, in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, navigating road closures to reach the hospital in time.
April, who was in labour, said they had to take an alternative route after encountering a road closure.
“It was manageable at that stage, but we had to turn around and find another way,” she said.
Despite the unexpected detour, the couple arrived safely and found comfort in the support of the hospital’s midwives and birthing team.
“When we got here, it was quiet, so we had a lot of attention,” April said.
The couple said seeing familiar faces among staff at the hospital was reassuring.
“The midwives were amazing,” they both said.
April used the hospital’s birthing pools that she said helped during labour.
The couple’s four-year-old daughter, Electra, has been eagerly waiting to meet her new sibling.
“She’s identified as a big sister for the past six months,” April said.