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Okotoks' baby roars into 2021

Lenna Kylah Adrianne Fehr born Jan. 3, 2021 at High River Hospital
Newyearsbaby
Proud father Austin Fehr with new mom Rachel Fehr and daughter Lenna Kylah Adrianne Fehr all of Okotoks. Lenna was born Jan. 3, the first baby born at High River Hospital. (Photo submitted)

After nearly 60 hours of labour, a new mom deserves a reward.  

For Okotokian Rachel Fehr, the reward was a healthy eight-pound, 12-ounce, 21-inch, baby girl born on Jan. 3 -- the first baby born at High River Hospital.

Lenna Kylah Adrianne Fehr was born at High River Hospital – and she has already proven to have a stubborn streak.  

“She was due Dec. 23 actually — she just took her time and didn’t want to come out,” Fehr said. “I got induced Jan.1 and she didn’t come until Jan. 3 at 2:33 p.m.” 

Rachel started going into labour before being induced – and it would be nearly 60 hours before a c-section was done before Lenna was born.

“At home, I tried taking showers, I have a yoga ball and I tried that — but there is no way you can really lay down because it feels like your hips are going to fall apart,” Rachel said. “When we got to the hospital all the nurses were there to help keep me distracted and making it a little easier. 

“They were super helpful.” 

Meanwhile, husband Austin Fehr wasn’t exactly spending his time watching the World Junior hockey championships.  

“He didn’t leave my side the whole time — and I threw up on him from head to toe and he was good with that,” Rachel said with a laugh. “He even watched the whole c-section just to make sure everything was going alright.” 

All part of becoming a new dad, said Austin.  

“I’m happy it is all done. That was probably the hardest thing I have ever seen, Rachel going through the labour like that — it looked crazy painful,” he said. “I was sitting by the bed holding Rachel’s hand the whole time.  

“If she didn’t sleep, I didn’t sleep. I just wanted to be there for her. 

“I’m happy to be a dad — I always wanted a family.”  

It’s a good thing he was there. Rachel couldn’t have more family at the hospital because of COVID-19 regulations.  

“You want people there but you can’t have them there,” she said. “There were a lot of times I wanted my mom but I couldn’t have her there. It sucked.” 

She said there were also ultrasounds exams during the pregnancy where she couldn’t be with her husband either.  

“The joy is still there, but it made it harder going to those appointments alone,” she said.  

Sixty hours of labour and plenty of patience more than paid off. 

“She is perfect,” the proud mother said. “She is super happy, she cries when she is hungry, but other than that she is perfectly content — and she has a perfectly round head.”  

The Fehrs’ first baby is living up to her names.  

“The name Lenna means ‘lion’s strength’ or ‘lion’s heart’ and that was a really big one for me and my husband,” said Rachel. “Kylah is for a friend of ours, Kyle (Nash) and he just passed away on Dec. 15 — he was more family than he was a friend.  

“He was so excited to be an uncle and he never got the chance to meet her.” 

She said Kyle and Kylah have the same meaning -- “straight and narrow.” 

As for Adrianne, it is Rachel’s middle name. It is a spin-off of her Rachel’s mother’s maiden name, Adrian.  

Rachel grew up in High River before moving to Okotoks. She is well aware of the reputation of the High River Hospital’s maternity ward.  

“They have a really good maternity clinic, it was a comfortable place to be,” Fehr said. “We were actually the only ones there – we got a lot of help.” 

While several doctors popped in on the Fehrs during the stay, it was Dr. Aaron Slusar who delivered Lenna.

Lenna is officially the first baby born at High River Hospital.

Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health had previously stated they would not be announcing New Year babies in 2021 due to COVID-19.  

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