FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A family from the west coast of Florida has quite the baby delivery story to tell after Hurricane Ian threw a wrench into their plans.
Harper Rose Lindsey is just a few days old. Her parents, Laura and Jason Lindsey, said her birth came at the end of a bumpy road.
“The day of the storm was when she started having contractions,” said Jason, a former U.S. Marine.
Video during the storm captured a heavy downpour from the couple’s backyard, located about 10 to 12 miles east of Fort Myers.
“The plan was to go to Cape Coral,” said Jason.
But disturbing storm footage on their TV prompted them to reconsider.
Hospitals near home were not an option, so the Lindseys decided to head to Fort Lauderdale.
“My mom got in the car with us, [another relative] met us [at the hospital], and when I called ahead, they were just here waiting and very welcoming,” said Laura.
The family arrived at Broward Health Medical Center at around 9 p.m. on Sunday.
It took more than 16 hours of labor, but Laura finally gave birth on Monday at 12:59 p.m.
“It was a really long labor, but we’re very in love with her,” she said.
The family said they’re grateful for the BHMC staff and especially their obstetrician, Dr. Geddis Abel-Rey, who listened to what they wanted and followed their natural birth plan.
“During this time that we’ve just gone through, it’s good to see something great happen,” said Abel-Rey.
The couple said they resisted changing the baby’s name to one referencing the hurricane.
“[Harper] is such a strong name, and then we put the ‘Rose’ in there to soften the balance out with Harper,” said Laura, “so she’s a little fighter and a little feminine.”
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