NEWBORN Alexis Lee made her hasty entrance into the world delivered by dad in the back seat of the family car in the carpark of Coles, Yarrabilba on Tuesday June 12.
Mum Charlotte Jeffries and dad Nicholas Lee were on their way to Beaudesert Hospital but Alexis wouldn’t wait.
“We live in the Aspect estate at Buccan. We got to Pioneer Road, Logan Village, three kilometres down the road and I just knew she was going to come,” Ms Jeffries said.
“Nic wanted to keep driving but I told him no, time to stop. He turned into Yarrabilba. I was dialing Triple O. He parked in front of Coles. We could see that coffee shop – the one called Stellarossa.
“It was still early Tuesday morning – not too many people out, thank goodness. Triple 0 suggested I hop in the back of the car.
“Nic had to get the toddler seat and baby capsule out so I could get in. I had a couple of towels in the back, so he put those down. Seven minutes later, she arrived.”
The couple had presented once to Beaudesert at 2.30am but were told it was too early and to go home again.
“We walked through the door at about 4.15am. I jumped in the bath. Nick got some sleep. I walked around the house, pacing,” she said.
“At 7.30am, Nic said time to go, but I said no. I thought I’d have a shower.
“We left home at 8.15am. You can see I called Triple O here on my phone at 8.19am. Bub came at 8.26am, the paramedics at 8.27am – two men and woman – one minute late. They said we’d be surprised how often that happened in cases like ours.”
Nic cut the chord, supervised by the ambos.
“The woman took our first photo,” said mum.
“I’m fairly sure it was the first birth she’d attended. I saw one other man. I think he worked for Coles. He gave us a bit of a clap.”
All went to Beaudesert hospital. Mum and bub got a clean bill of health. Six hours later they were home again.
“I’d love nothing more than to catch up and thank each and every one who helped us personally, but tracking them down has been harder than I thought,” Ms Jeffries said.
“Triple O talked Nic through what he had to do, step by step, and I think that kept him calm.
“I made some calls to track that person down without much luck. They log the call to pass on as a message. I imagine it, even now, filtering its way through government departments.
“The paramedics – they were lovely. When you read about paramedics it’s about the hard time they have on the job. This was something else.”
Aaliyah, 21 months old, was home with her grandparents as the excitement unfolded but met her baby sister later the same day.
“Aaliyah loves her sister. She gives her cuddles and gentle kisses,” Ms Jeffries said.
Alexis, meanwhile, was “a perfect child – no fuss”.
“She’s sleeping as we speak,” Ms Jeffries said.
Both parents will take short breaks before heading back to work – mum in human resources, dad as an industrial spray painter.
