Adelynn Dodge is one determined baby girl, who didn't want to let Hurricane Irma pass before meeting her mom and dad.

  • Couple originally schedule to deliver baby at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
  • Hospital packed due to transfers from Manatee Memorial
  • Couple drove to hospital on Sunday afternoon as Irma arrived

Kari Maugherman, 20, says she was anxious all week knowing that the storm was set to make landfall on her due date. She says her fiancé, Andrew Dodge, 22, did his best to keep her calm, but when back pain started on Saturday night they were getting prepared.
 
"He was actually watching videos on Saturday night about how to deliver a baby at home," Kari said.

Kari was scheduled to give birth at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. But the hospital was packed, after taking on additional patients from Manatee Memorial Hospital, which was under evacuation.
 
"There was just so many people here that there," Andrew said. "Just wasn't really room for us to get in and take a room up for no reason."

As new parents, the two weren't sure what to expect. But just as the 3 p.m. driving curfew was going into effect Sunday in Manatee County, Kari started timing her contractions.

They decided it was time, and through the wind and rain the couple made their way from Myakka to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

Photo: Angie Angers, staff

Kari says she was in labor for nearly ten hours. It was at the height of the storm that baby Adelynn made her entrance into the world.

The couple says they were so focused they had mostly forgotten about the storm outside.
 
"I couldn't even tell there was a hurricane going on," Andrew said. "The staff here was wonderful and kept our minds on what was important and that's what we kept our minds on too."

While the experience was a good one, Kari and Andrew say it wasn't exactly what they had envisioned. Due to the road conditions, their families couldn't make it to the hospital for Adelynn's birth.

But as for her name, the couple says they never considered Irma.
 
"Everyone's like, 'You have to name her Irma now!' But I'm like, 'Maybe we'll just call her Irma when she's bad," Kari said.

They were discharged on Tuesday, and plan to stay with Andrew's parents until power can be restored to their home.