First-Time Mom Gives Birth To Baby During Hurricane Ian As Storm Changed Path, Headed Toward Them: "It Was Terrifying"

Amidst the chaotic situation brought by Hurricane Ian that hit Florida, a couple from Cape Coral welcomed their newborn baby. According to People, Amanda and Matthew Mahr were forced to welcome their newborn during Hurricane Ian in Florida. Furthermore, the couple was told that Amanda would need a C-section after an ultrasound test result showed low fluid levels, four days after the due date. The doctor recommended they go to Cape Coral Hospital for the night so they could monitor Amanda better. They quickly left for the hospital, navigating through the oncoming hurricane's gusty winds and thrashing rain.

While they were initially told that Amanda, 36, would undergo the procedure once the storm passed, things took a sharp turn very soon. The storm changed its path towards Cape Coral and the doctor entered their room to inform them, "We're getting a direct hit. We need to do this right now." At 8:49 a.m., their baby boy was born weighing 10 pounds, 6 ounces, with a full head of dark hair. "It was so terrifying, very stressful and scary," Amanda recalled. "We had literally, I think, 17 minutes from the time we woke up until they started wheeling me into the OR."

The couple returned to their birthing suite later, when suddenly, the lights started flickering. At about 2:30 pm, with the storm picking up a speed of 150 mph, they were shifted into the hallway along with other new parents to stay away from windows that may shatter in the room. They could hear the ferocious hurricane "like sheet metal was being hit against the building," said Matthew, 37. He added that it was "more terrifying not knowing what was happening than seeing it happen." 

Amanda, who owns a gourmet cupcake company, said, "I was really stressed, and it was just a whirlwind of emotions on top of giving birth. They talk about how giving birth takes a toll on your emotions and on your hormones and your body. And so, to have the whole hurricane going on top of that was just almost more than I could handle." She continued, "I just took it minute-by-minute and just focused on the baby and learning how to breastfeed." They were both worried about their apartment, their one-year-old cat, Mazikeen, who they had to leave behind in the rush to get to the hospital, and Amanda's mom alone in her Fort Myers house. By 9 pm, the couple and their newborn were back in their room. Unlike some other hospitals in the area that had sustained damage, the facility remained intact.

The couple have named their baby George Bentley Mahr. Since Hurricane Ian hit while Amanda gave birth, they was asked by many if their son's middle name would be Ian, to which Amanda replied, "I would rather never hear that name again. We're calling him Hurricane George."

Matthew drove through the city, the next day, and saw that several poles had fallen on each other, the wires were down, and the street signs and billboards had been strewn everywhere. "It literally looked like a monster truck rally had gone through the entire neighborhood," he said. He found their cat safe, although scared, and hiding underneath a crib in George's nursery. Two windows of their house were shattered but the rest was all good. The couple shifted from the hospital to Amanda's mother's house. The area remained without electricity for some time and there was no air conditioning to beat the temperature that hit 87 degrees. Amanda would seek refuge in the car which was also used as a makeshift charging station.

"I still kind of have a little bit of PTSD maybe. Just from the whole thing. I just feel very stressed. My brain is so mushed between becoming a new mom and the hurricane and everything," Amanda said. "I don't feel like I can feel bad for myself because there's so much loss. We are so lucky. We have the cutest baby and he's so chunky and he has a head full of hair. We're doing our best and just taking it one minute at a time."

References:

https://people.com/human-interest/first-time-mom-gave-birth-to-baby-as-hurricane-ian-hit-florida/

Cover Image Source: Getty Images/ James Porter

This is a developing story, and we’ll update you as we learn more. Information about Hurricane Ian is swiftly changing, and WomenWorking is committed to providing the most recent and verified updates in our articles and reportage. However, considering the frequency in developments, some of the information/data in this article may have changed since the time of publication. You can get official alerts and updates on Hurricane Ian from the National Hurricane Center.