Four generations of women from the same family have come together to welcome Astoria, the first of a fifth generation.
The baby girl was born to Madison Grasso on May 26 at Werribee Mercy Hospital after an emergency caesarean section.
Astoria, who weighed 4.1 kilograms when she came into the world, is the first child of Madison and her fiancé Glenn.
The youngster is also the first grandchild of Madison’s mother, Debbie Grasso.
In addition, Astoria’s great-grandmother Veronika Gotovac and great-great grandmother Maria Kokos were overjoyed to see her born.
The women live in Seabrook, Point Cook, Altona Meadows and Altona North.
Madison said she thought it was “remarkable” five generations of females in her family were alive at the same time, while her mother said it was “amazing”.
“I believed and hoped it was possible because my grandmother Maria had her first child Veronika [my mother] at the sweet age of 18 and then my mother had her first child, myself, at age 19,” Debbie said.
She said the world had changed a lot since her own grandmother, Ms Kokos, was born in Croatia almost 93 years ago.
She said her grandmother and great-grandmother had lived through world wars I and II.
“Life has improved immensely for myself since we migrated from Croatia to Australia when I was a child in 1968,” Debbie said.
She said that as Astoria became older, she would tell her stories of their family’s heritage.
New mum Madison said she felt “incredibly lucky” to be surrounded by such “strong, positive and influential women”.
She has two sisters, Isabella and Angilee. Angilee is expecting her first child in November.
“I believe in my heart that being surrounded by family has a positive influence on our wellbeing,” Madison said.
