Time and date align for lucky baby Levi, born at 2:22pm on 'Richie Benaud Day
Hearing an alarm going off when you're in the final moments of giving birth may not be the most reassuring experience in the world, but for Adelaide mum Jess Hamblen, there was a sweet sense of excitement as well as relief.
As a joke with her husband Jake, Jess had earlier set the alarm on her phone for 2:22pm, on the off-chance that she may be giving birth around that time, on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 — or 22/2/22.
But, lo and behold, that is exactly what transpired — with the sound accompanying the arrival into the world of her newborn Levi, at the Lyell McEwin Hospital in Adelaide's north.
"I was pushing from about two o'clock and was like, 'Oh we just missed two o'clock'," Jess told ABC Radio Adelaide.
"The midwives were recording, videorecording, [and] as I pushed, my alarm started going off and they were like, 'How do we turn off this alarm?'
"I only set it as a joke, and it's not really a joke now."
Jess said that, as Levi emerged to the sound of the alarm, "everyone was so shocked".
"We were even joking with the midwives how funny it would be if it were 2:22pm or 2pm or 2:02pm or 2:12pm so it was a bit of a shock," she said.
But, as she went into labour, she quickly disregarded any thoughts of contriving a coincidence.
"We weren't even focused on it because I was in so much pain," Jess said.
"I started pushing at two o'clock. I was pushing for 22 minutes pretty much."
Happy 'Twosday'
Ms Hamblen, who was admitted to the Lyell McEwin on Monday, said she was initially a "little bit nervous" because Levi had been undersized during the pregnancy.
His original due date was March 4, but the birth was induced as a precaution and, on arrival, he weighed about 2.7 kilograms.
Having a boy born at 2:22pm on the 22nd day of the second month of 2022 wasn't the only numerological nicety.
"Everything went pretty well other than a bit of a blood loss but yeah, he's doing well and healthy.
"The staff at Lyell McEwin Hospital, the midwives are absolutely great and also my husband, for all of the support during labour — I'm thankful for all of them."
To mark the moment, SA Health celebrated by sharing the news on social media.
"Happy Twos-day!" it posted on Facebook.
"Jessica and Jake welcomed baby Levi today at 2:22pm on 22/2/22 at the Lyell McEwin Hospital."
February 22 is unofficially recognised in some quarters as "Richie Benaud Day".
The name is a tribute to the legendary cricket commentator's signature pronunciation of the word "two" when giving the score, reflected in the catchphrase "two for two-two-two".
But, by her own admission, Jess didn't immediately get the reference, and found it easy to turn down appeals that Levi instead be called "Richie".
"People had to tell me what it was," the mother-of-four said.
"[I'm] definitely not a fan of the name Richie — sorry Richies."
Keane, D. (2022, February 23). Time and date align for lucky baby Levi, born at 2:22pm on “Richie Benaud Day.” ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-23/date-time-align-for-baby-levi-born-at-lyell-mcewin-hospital/100853084