Historic delivery

Mum Alaina Mae went into labour at 2am, and by 2.20am she and partner Jesse had a new daughter.

They have since been told Xylar’s grand entrance is quite significant, as the last known birth at Tocumwal’s hospital took place in November 1993.

Alaina and Jesse have been staying with Aliana’s mum, Sonia Cracknell in Tocumwal while they look for a home of their own.

They admit they did not have a set birthing plan, other than they would make their way to Shepparton once labour began.

But the speed of delivery thwarted those plans.

After feeling a pain in her stomach at 11pm on January 12, Alaina decided to take a rest and lay down for some relief.

She fell asleep, but was awake again at 1am, feeling what she knew then to be contractions.

Based on her previous birthing experience, she knew she was too far along to make it to Shepparton on their own.

Within five minutes they arrived at the Tocumwal facility, and 15 minutes later Xylar had arrived.

“When we got to the hospital that morning, my partner told the hospital staff that I have quick babies.

“We also had a feeling she would come before the due date of January 21.”

Xylar was placed on oxygen and transported, with mum, to the Shepparton Hospital. They arrived there at 4am.

She weighed just 2.34kg, or just over 5lbs in the old scale.

Being the first baby born in the Tocumwal Hospital in more than 30 years is special in itself, but Xylar’s birth story has another amazing twist.

Her grandmother was also actively involved in the birth.

“Mum actually ‘delivered’ the baby,” Alaina explained.

“She caught her on the way out when medical staff weren’t nearby.”

The buzz of the birth has spread across the family, the hospital staff and the wider community because of its significance.

“It was exciting, that loving feeling of everyone being excited to see the new baby,” Alaina said.

“We are very grateful to everyone at the Tocumwal hospital for handling it the way they did.”