Alex McKinnon and partner Teigan welcome first child Harriet Anne

EXACTLY one year on from their wedding day, former NRL star Alex McKinnon and his partner Teigan have another reason to celebrate - the birth of their beautiful baby girl.

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TWELVE months ago, Alex McKinnon made a promise to himself.

“I wanted to learn how to drive again and one of the main reasons was because I wanted to be able to drive Teigan to hospital for when we had a baby,’’ McKinnon said.

On Sunday morning at 8.30am, Teigan turned to McKinnon from their Newcastle home and said; “Let’s go.’’

With Teigan in labour and just hours away from welcoming their gorgeous newborn baby Harriet, McKinnon did what every expectant-father would — and drove his wife to hospital.

“I stayed as calm as I could and just drove — I guess all that practice paid off,’’ a smiling McKinnon told The Daily Telegraph.

Harriet Ann McKinnon was born at 1.30pm on Sunday, October 7.

Hidden within the couple’s new and special announcement is the hugely sentimental timing of Harriet’s birth.

It’s been a long but happy journey for the couple.

Harriet arrived just 24-hours before the adoring couple’s one-year wedding anniversary — the unforgettable day that McKinnon, who suffered a devastating spinal cord injury while playing for Newcastle in 2014, stood in front of Teigan to take his vows.

McKinnon said he and Teigan broke down in tears as their healthy and happy bundle of goodness entered the world at a Newcastle hospital.

“People tell you want to expect, but it’s crazy, just crazy,’’ McKinnon said. “It was just me and Teigan and the nursing staff and it blew my mind.

“At that moment she arrived, I had so many thoughts — we were balling our eyes out.

“I put her (Harriet) in my lap and held her. Teigan and I just sat there smiling. It completely blew my mind. To see the reaction on Teigan’s face was amazing.

“Teigan was a machine, inspirational, as always.’’

It was Teigan — healthy and resting happily in hospital — who picked Harriet’s name. Ann is both Teigan and her mother’s Julie’s middle name.

“We love the name, I haven’t heard of to many Harriet’s, so that’s nice too,’’ McKinnon said.

Surrounded by their parents and closest family, the couple posted their first photo as a new family of three on Instagram on Monday.

The photo had received over 10,000 likes.

“The support has been incredible,’’ McKinnon said.

“Thanks so much to everyone for their beautiful messages and kind thoughts, it means so much to have that support from so many people.’’

Originally published as Alex McKinnon and partner Teigan welcome first child Harriet Anne