Bundled into a kayak commandeered by a neighbour they had never met, Krystle and her partner were safely taken to land and then to hospital.

Tiny Angus entered the world at 7.30am on Tuesday at Brisbane’s Mater Mothers’ Hospital as floodwaters engulfed the city and large swathes of the State and the Brisbane River turned into a raging torrent.

Krystle was one of two women who gave birth to what they are calling their “miracle babies”
at the Mater after being rescued from rising floodwaters. They are two babies with incredible stories of their entry to the world.

Krystle Henry, her partner Matt Bridges and baby Angus. (image: Mater Hospital)

Krystle’s partner Matt Bridges said they would be forever grateful to their neighbour, Rob.

“We didn’t know Rob but he was more than happy to help us out and I’m so thankful Angus arrived safely,” Matt said.

“We’ve got a pandemic baby with two-year-old daughter, Olive, born in 2020 and now we have a flood baby,” he said.

Mater Hospital obstetrician Dr Paul Conaghan said he had never delivered a baby in such chaotic circumstances.

“Considering the situation, Krystle and Matt remained very calm. I couldn’t imagine being 39 weeks pregnant and stuck in flood waters,” he said.

In Sherwood, it was the local SES team who helped transport another heavily pregnant woman to safety, just hours before her baby entered the world.

Felicity Jacques with baby Andrew. (Image supplied)

Felicity and Alex Jacques had been at lunch at Alex’s mother’s home on Saturday when flood waters started rising and kept rising.

They called the SES for help on Sunday when the water was close to the top of nearby traffic lights.

“The SES took us safely to dry land at Toowong,” Felicity said. “We stayed at a hotel near the hospital overnight and I went into labour in the early hours of the next morning.

“I hate to think what would have happened if we weren’t close to the hospital. I’m so relieved our little one is here. He is definitely a miracle.”

Andrew Jacques was born on Tuesday morning, weighing in at 3.35kg.

Mater Mothers’ Hospital chief operating office, Paula Foley, said many mums and families had gone to unforeseen lengths to get to the hospital to have their babies in the past week.

“It’s been an incredibly stressful time for many of our new mums and dads but we’ve had 188 babies born at Mater Mother’s South Brisbane in the past week, despite the flooding,” Foley said.