Sisters brave wet weather to give birth days apart

Two Queensland sisters have braved rising flood waters and traffic chaos to welcome their newborn babies who arrived days apart from one another at Brisbane’s Mater Mothers’ Hospital.

 

Kate Albion of Upper Kedron, and Jessica Lane, of Ferny Hills, said their “flood babies” were extremely lucky and their birth stories were unforgettable – with the obstetrician stuck in traffic and unable to deliver Ms Albion’s baby.

 

The Brisbane sisters share the same obstetrician and paediatrician and are recovering in hospital beds just three doors down from each other.

 

“Everything happened so quickly for us and we were so lucky we had another obstetrician step in and great care by the midwives and nurses,” Ms Albion said.

 

The pair, who already share a very close bond, are now closer than ever with their babies having to spend some time in the Special Care Nursery at Mater Mothers’ Hospital.

 

Ms Albion’s son, Joseph, was born unable to breathe on his own, and Ms Lane’s daughter, Isobel, had fluid on her lungs but both newborns are now thriving. 

 

“I’m really close to my sister and it’s comforting our little babies have shared this Special Care Nursery journey together,” Ms Lane said.

 

Driving through torrential rain on Tuesday to get to the hospital, Ms Albion gave birth to her second child Joseph at 3.30pm weighing 3.3kg.

 

“There was so much rain and we were lucky to get to the hospital,” Ms Albion said.

 

“I’m so glad we were there because Joseph ended up coming so fast. Even our obstetrician ended up being stuck in traffic and missed the delivery.”

 

Ms Albion said it was comforting to know her sister Jessica was on the same hospital ward, having given birth safely to a baby girl, Isobel, just three days earlier.

 

“The situation is actually pretty cool,” Ms Albion said. “It’s not something we really expected.”

 

Ms Lane said she was really glad Isobel was born on Friday and not any later.

 

“It was really exciting to find out they were expecting at the same time, and then to realise it was within days of each other was a nice surprise,” she said.

 

Mater Mothers' Hospitals is Australia's largest maternity services provider, with more than 12 000 babies born every year.