Octavia arrives early, refuses to wait for mum to make hospital bed

“We were booked in at Wang Hospital and got in the car to leave at 8.15am from our Benalla home,” Michael said.

Pretty quickly it became obvious Octavia was not willing to make that drive. Luckily for the McMurries, Benalla Health was just around the corner.

“We went (straight to) urgent care in Benalla, where one of the orderlies, Tracey, got us a wheelchair and ran us to the maternity ward,” he said.

“We only just made it to the room. Two pushes later, Octavia was out.

“Birthed on the wheelchair”

Octavia Janet McMurrie was born at 3.35am on April 4. She weighed 3440g and was 49cm in length.

Mum and bub were able to head home on Sunday, April 7, where she was greeted by big sister Scarlett.

Michael said Ashleigh and Octavia are both doing well.

Her grandparents, Fiona and Jason Knowles, Jan McMurrie, Ken McMurrie and Mark Tunchon, have been getting to know the newest member of the family.

Congratulations from everyone at the Ensign.