New parents Kaitlyn and James Hindmarch celebrated the birth of their first child just three minutes after midnight on New Year's Day.
Kaitlyn was due to deliver Aspyn Briar Jean Hindmarch into the world on Christmas Eve, but the stubbon little one wanted to make her debut later than expected.
Aspyn now enjoys the remarkable distinction of not only being St. Albert's New Year's Baby but also the first baby of a new decade.
“She is perfect. We couldn't ask for a better baby. She's so well behaved. She's very quiet. She sleeps fairly well and she's great with eating and so we couldn't be more happy with her,” Kaitlyn said.Kaitlyn, who lives in Sturgeon County, was induced on New Year's Eve and the doctors told her it could take a few days for it to kick in. But the new mom started feeling contractions at around 1:30 p.m. and her husband and mother took her to the hospital.
“I started having contractions and they were two minutes apart. In all the birthing classes, they say it kind of starts gradually and builds up – they lied,” Kaitlyn said with a laugh.
“Mine came on fast and furious for sure."
The 29-year-old said she was reluctant to go to the hospital at first, thinking it was just minor cramping, but her husband and mom convinced her to go.
When they got there, the doctors told her she was definitely in labour.
Kaitlyn had planned to have her little girl naturally and they expected she would be born around 3 or 4 a.m. on New Year's Day, but complications arose during the birth. Aspyn’s heart rate wasn’t handling her mom’s contractions well, so Kaitlyn was taken in for a caesarean section to deliver Aspyn safely.
While Kaitlyn was in surgery, where she was fully awake, someone wished the room a Happy New Year – and three minutes later, Aspyn was officially born.
Kaitlyn always liked the name Aspyn, but her husband James was partial to Briar, so the duo went back and forth between the two names and couldn’t decide. In the end, they decided if the baby was a girl, mom would make the final decision, and if the baby was a boy, dad would have the final say.
The couple wanted to include Jean in her name, after James’ grandmother.
Kaitlyn said the family is doing well, although they are sleep deprived.
“The other day, we had an appointment just to check the baby's weight, and I couldn't remember how to spell my last name. So it definitely takes its toll, but it's definitely 100 per cent worth it. She is perfect,” Kaitlyn said.
Aspyn's status as the first 2020s baby is pretty cool, too, for the family.
“Having the first baby of the decade is definitely exciting."
