Another 19 babies have been born in Weipa since little Vin Thorogood, pictured with parents Alistair and Emily, and big brother Kai, became the first planned birth at the town’s hospital in a quarter of a century on 28 May last year. Photo: Supplied.
As the Weipa Hospital celebrates the first anniversary of the return of birthing services on 22 May, the families of the first two babies born in the facility’s maternity suite in 2024 reflected on what having the option meant to them.
Since birthing services returned to western Cape York after a quarter-century hiatus, 20 babies – eight boys and 12 girls – have come into the world locally, including one on Mother’s Day earlier this month.
Emily Thorogood, the mother of little Vin, who made history as the birthing unit’s first arrival on 28 May 2024, praised the service and said it had helped facilitate a simple birth.
“My first son, Kai, was born in Mareeba, so we had to fly out of Weipa at 36 weeks, and that would have been even more difficult to do with Vin when we had Kai to consider,” she said.
“With Vin, I was able to labour at home for a while, then just drive two minutes to the hospital and Vin was born half an hour later.”
Mum Maddi, who gave birth to Millie, the birthing unit’s second arrival, on 26 June last year, said she and partner Lincoln had initially planned to return to their hometown of Ipswich, west of Brisbane, to deliver.
“But birthing locally at Weipa turned out to be amazing and, logistically, it worked out perfectly for us; the idea that I could labour at home, then be able to go back to our own home with Millie straight away,” she said.
“I felt like the care at Weipa was so individualised; it was just about us and our baby from when we first moved to Weipa and had our first appointment with our midwife.”
Weipa’s last birthing service closed in 1999 and director of nursing Kindee Lawty said the milestone first birth had been a moment of celebration for the hospital’s midwifery group practice.
“Our first birth in May last year was an incredible moment for all of us here at Weipa,’’ she said.
“Our midwifery group practice team had been so dedicated to supporting the women of the western Cape through their pregnancy and post-natal journeys, and then to be able to provide a birthing service as well was so wonderful for our communities.
“That was exactly why we worked so hard to re-open this service, so that our families did not have to travel long distances to have their babies.’’
The western Cape York community is invited to the hospital to help celebrate the one-year anniversary at a free event from 9am-12pm this Thursday.
Millie, the second baby born in Weipa after the return of maternity services, is pictured with mum Maddi at four months old. Photo: Supplied.
