Burleigh parents Sam Taylor,Eliza Jorgensen welcome new baby after New Year’s Eve rush to Gold Coast University Hospital

GOODBYE 2020: A rush to the Gold Coast University hospital was the New Year’s countdown these new parents never expected.

IT WAS the New Years countdown new parents Eliza Jorgensen and Sam Taylor never expected.

Amid fireworks and new year cheers they were racing to get to Gold Coast University Hospital, for the birth of first child August Van Taylor.

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Sam Taylor and Eliza Jorgensen from Burleigh Heads with their newborn son, August Van Taylor, who was born in a hurry on New Years morning at Gold Coast University Hospital. Picture Glenn Hampson

“We didn’t really want a big night, so I was in bed by nine,” Ms Jorgensen of Burleigh said. “But I woke up at 11 to my water breaking, then the contractions started and I thought ‘Oh no, we aren’t going to make it’. 15 minutes into the drive I felt the urge to push, there was the radio count down to midnight and fireworks going off everywhere.

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Sam Taylor and Eliza Jorgensen from Burleigh Heads with their newborn son, August Van Taylor. Picture Glenn Hampson

“I thought ‘Please don’t let me have him on the side of the road, that would sum up 2020.”

But they made it to hospital. August was born naturally at 1:15am to usher in 2021.

“I have no new years resolution,” Ms Jorgensen said. “Only to soak it all up.”

The speech pathologist and her partner Sam Taylor, a physiotherapist, settled on the middle name Van after the singer.

“Sam actually proposed to me while a Van Morrison song was playing so it was something special.”

Midwives at the hospital say August is expected to be the first of many babies in the coming year attributed to a COVID-19 lockdown baby boom.

“We are preparing for more babies than usual over the next few months,” the midwife told the Bulletin.

“Bookings are filling up so it seems like there may be a bit of a boom.”

Originally published as Burleigh parents Sam Taylor,Eliza Jorgensen welcome new baby after New Year’s Eve rush to Gold Coast University Hospital