BABY Sophie Anne Rasmussen can list her place of birth as Moreton Bay, somewhere between Russell Island and the mainland.
Having given her mum Amy Gibson just over two hours warning of her arrival, Sophie was born on an ambulance ferry on Thursday, June 16 about 4.15am.
Ms Gibson, who has lived with her partner Jesse Rasmussen and their two children on Russell Island for about a year, said she was not sure if she was in labour when she woke about 2am.
A hospital midwife said she should monitor contractions and call again in about an hour.
However, the labour started to progress quickly.
Mr Rasmussen said when they called emergency services about 3am, the call centre started to prepare him to deliver the baby.
However, the ambulance, with paramedic Simon Hansson and volunteer first responder Debbie Hoffman, arrived about 10 minutes later and quickly got them to the ambulance ferry.
Ms Gibson was anxious as she had a caesarean for her second child and had been told at the hospital the previous day her baby may have been in a breech position.
“We got into the ambulance and then to the boat and I was saying that I couldn’t have her there because of my fears,” she said.
“But 10 minutes in, Sophie decided that she was not waiting.”
Mr Hansson said he was relieving for another paramedic and it was the last thing he expected while on the island.
He has delivered about six babies before, but never on water.
The threesome were met by an ambulance at the ferry terminal and rushed to Redlands Hospital where mum and baby passed all checks and were back home by 3.30pm that afternoon.
Mr Rasmussen said the humour and encouragement from the paramedics helped them through the stressful time.
“They kept us all in good spirits,” said Mr Rasmussen.
The couple’s first two children also have an interesting birth story, with both being born on February 10, but five years apart.
