Early arrival, late name, for William
‘‘It’ll be a good story to tell him at his 21st.’’ Lindsey Gribbon, mum
William Donoghue was quick to make his mark on 2017, he just had to wait a few days for the right name to stick.
William was the first baby born at Palmerston North Hospital in 2017, entering the world at 2.45am on New Year’s Day, and swiftly greeted by mum Lindsey Gribbon, dad Jarod Donoghue, and big sister Grace, 2.
He had got the jump on the family from Taihape. They knew they were having a boy but hadn’t settled on a name when Gribbon went into labour at home about 11.30pm on New Year’s Eve, six days before her expected due date.
Donoghue grabbed the bag they had in waiting and woke up Grace. There was no time to find a babysitter as the family raced over to Palmerston North.
In all the excitement there wasn’t much time to decide between the final two choices for a name. Grace took to calling him ‘‘little brother’’, with a giggle, as she brushed his face or held his tiny hands.
It wasn’t until the hospital discharge papers were being filled out on Tuesday that Gribbon and Donoghue had a moment to settle on ‘William’.
Gribbon said the nurses had hinted hers was likely to be the first baby born at the hospital for the year.
‘‘[But] because I had a c-section they said they’d have to check to make sure someone hadn’t given birth in the ward below while I was being prepped.
‘‘It’s quite cool [he’s the first], I wasn’t really expecting that. It’ll be a good story to tell him at his 21st.’’
William was born weighing 9 pounds, or 4100 grams.
Gribbon said he was a long baby and she thought he would probably grow up to be tall.
William’s arrival was too late to boast of being the first baby born in New Zealand this year. That title went to a girl at Taranaki Base Hospital, born at 12.01am.