In Brisbane, a new mother, Annie Coburn, shared her dramatic experience of giving birth during ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred. Annie went into labour on a Friday night, and her husband, Harrison, quickly took her to the nearby Mater Hospital amidst severe weather conditions.
Annie’s labour lasted an intense 13 hours, culminating in the arrival of their daughter, Winnie, at 12.36 pm on Saturday. Reflecting on the experience, Annie remarked that despite the chaos outside, she felt as if they had entered a different world once they reached the hospital. “I wasn’t even focused on the cyclone, other than when we were driving through the wild winds and rain,” she recalled.
Harrison described the journey to the hospital as surreal, noting the deserted roads and worsening weather. The couple had contemplated naming their child Alfie if it were a boy, a nod to Harrison’s admiration for Brisbane Broncos legend Alfie Langer, though he clarified that the cyclone didn’t influence their choice. Since they welcomed a girl, Annie expressed her happiness with the outcome.
In a coincidental twist, another Brisbane mother, Han Zhang, also gave birth during the cyclone, welcoming a premature son named Alfie, who arrived seven weeks early. He weighed just 1.8 kg and was born at Mater Mothers’ Hospital just as the cyclone was approaching.
Both families now face the joys and challenges of new parenthood, with Annie describing her little one as a “superstar.” Despite the dramatic circumstances surrounding their births, the new parents are adapting well amidst the aftermath of the storm.