Toowoomba Hospital welcomes Christmas baby to proud parents after 22-hour labour
Little Audrey was the perfect Christmas present for her parents, having waited weeks until she could arrive at the right time. Meet Toowoomba’s Christmas baby here.
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Toowoomba’s Joe Vida and Jo McMaster were expecting their daughter Audrey Rose to arrive earlier in December — but it soon became clear the beautiful bub wanted to be a “tinsel baby”.
“We had some strong suspicions that she’d been waiting all this time to be a Christmas baby,” Ms McMaster said.
“Our suspicions were the strongest when we went into labour on Christmas Eve,” Mr Vida added.
The happy couple welcomed healthy little Audrey into the world at the Toowoomba Hospital on Sunday just before lunch time – a perfect Christmas present for the pair of paediatric specialists.
The gorgeous girl, born weighing nine pounds and seven ounces, came following a 22-hour labour for Ms McMaster.
The new mum said it marked a surreal and extraordinary Christmas for the family.
“We had an amazing birthing team, everyone at the hospital was absolutely amazing. Kudos to the midwives here but also to My Midwives in town,” Ms McMaster said.
“We had one midwife (Alita Pashley) with us the whole way through, who was exhausted at the end of the 22-hour labour I had.
“It’s an amazing Christmas gift, but it doesn’t feel like a normal Christmas – Christmas lunch wasn’t the same as normal.
“It’s the best Christmas gift you could possibly hope for – what could ever top this?”
Mr Vida, who was a “blubbering mess” after Audrey was born, thanked the staff at the hospital for working so hard on Christmas.
“I was an absolute blubbering mess when she came out safe and sound,” he said.
“This had been a long and challenging and unexpected experience, but for it to be all OK in the end was a relief.
“I want to thank all the people who were part of the journey, spending their holiday and Christmas Day with us. I’m extremely thankful for that.”
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