MOTHER’S Day was extra special for Glen Alpin resident Michelle Repo with the perfectly timed arrival of her third baby.
Little Jesse Jarmo Repo was born on Mother’s Day, Sunday 8 May, at the Stanthorpe Hospital, weighing 3.72 kilograms.
He was helped into the world by midwife Tracey Gunnlaugsson who, co-incidently, welcomed her own son into the world on Mother’s Day 26 years ago also at the Stanthorpe Hospital.
“Tracey was amazing and she helped so much, and thankfully I had Jesse just before the end of her shift,” Mrs Repo said.
“It was a lovely experience. Tracey was such an excellent midwife, and I could not have done it without her encouragement and direction. All along she ‘knew’ I was having a boy, even though, we did not find out the sex of the baby.
“I was due on the 16 May, but it didn’t occur to me that he could arrive on Mother’s Day. It was a nice surprise and something that both myself and Tracey have now experienced.”
Jesse is the third child for Michelle and her husband Markus, and a little brother to 10-year-old Mika and 12-year-old Faithe.
So far this year, Stanthorpe birthing suites have welcomed 41 babies.
The suites underwent a refurbishment a few years ago, with Ms Gunnlaugsson delivering the first baby in the new rooms on September 2014.
“I had my son at the Stanthorpe Hospital on Mother’s Day in 1990,” Ms Gunnlaugsson said.
“And I’ve now helped two mums deliver on Mother’s Day, which is really special.”
Ms Gunnlaugsson has been a midwife for six years, after she completed her training and study in Toowoomba.
“I enjoy helping women succeed in their wishes and bringing new life into the world. It’s a job you have to have a passion for because otherwise you wouldn’t do it – there’s lots of working back late and going the extra mile for mums.”
