Introducing Abbie

Abigail Anne Winder was born on Thursday, September 22, 2011, at 10:59 pm. She weighed 7 lb 3 oz and measured 20.5 inches. It was quite an eventful delivery, so here's the whole story:

Thursday morning, I started having pretty weak, random contractions. However, it was the day before my due date, so we were thinking Abbie would be coming within the next day or two.The day was pretty normal - playgroup, heading to the ER with my friend and her kid (not so normal, but all turned out OK!), and cleaning up around our apartment.

By about 7:00, the contractions were more regular but not very strong. James was still at work, trying to finish things up in case the baby came, and just waiting for my call to leave. At 9:00 pm, I called to let him know that my contractions were 10 minutes apart but getting pretty strong. I thought it'd be another few hours and told him that he had plenty of time to finish things up. About 10:00, with no transition period at all, my contractions were suddenly every 3 minutes and very strong. I called James, who said he was just leaving, and I told him that I didn't think I could wait for him to get home to leave for the hospital. So he caught a cab straight to the hospital, and my doorman called me a cab. My good friend that lives two floors down came to take Hannah, and I hobbled out to the black car waiting for me.

The cab ride lasted about 20 minutes, and all I could do the whole time was think that I really didn't want to have a baby in this taxi! I talked to James the whole way (except when contractions got too bad and I had to hang the phone up to hold on to something!). About 3 blocks from the hospital, I started feeling like I had to push, which the cab driver seemed to notice and started driving a little more wrecklessly. We pulled up to the ER, where James was waiting. At triage, the nurse asked how far apart my contractions were and if I was even due, and I told her I just needed to push! She quickly called for a wheelchair, and I was taken upstairs.

At Labor and Delivery, they tried to stop me at registration to check me in, but when I told the woman I needed to push, she had someone take me back to a delivery room (and then kept James for the info). I was wheeled to the room, accompanied by 2 nurses, an intern, and a senior resident. They got me in the bed, the intern checked to see how dilated I was, and he just said that this baby was coming now (and then just poured a bottle of betadine on me!)! The residents asked if I could wait a few more minutes for the doctor to come, and I said "No, I have to push now, and I need my husband!" Luckily James had finished answering the registration questions and found my room. He walked in to see a baby crowning and 2 nervous residents (he asked if they were doctors, and they responded "yes" and then seemed to kick into gear!).

I was feeling quite nervous since I hadn't prepared for a natural delivery (I'd planned on an epidural). The amazing nurse noticed and jumped up next to my side and walked me through everything - breathing, pushing, relaxing.... I pushed 3 or 4 times, and my sweet little Abbie was born! I had walked into the hospital about 15 earlier!

Abbie was perfectly healthy and adorable! She looks A LOT like her daddy and has blonde hair and dark blue eyes. She was an angel for the whole hospital stay! She picked right up on nursing, slept very well, and hardly ever cried! Honestly, not much has changed since we've had her home (how did I get so lucky!!)

The attending doctor arrived about 5 minutes after I delivered. She said everything looked great. I didn't even tear (which was amazing since everything went so fast!). Overall, this has been such an easy recovery - I was feeling great pretty much right away!



One of the joys of delivering in a New York hospital is sharing a postpartum room. My first roommate was really sweet, but she was discharged on Friday morning. Shortly thereafter, I received a new roommate, who was also very nice, but had a little boy that cried about 22 hours a day! Also, neither roommate would turn the air on despite very hot and humid temperatures (hence my sweaty face in the following pictures!). My sweet sister-in-law was quickly introduced to my second roommate when she came into my room (not knowing it was shared) and saw a strange woman sitting on the toilet, half-dressed, with the door wide open!
Hannah met her baby sister for the first time on Friday afternoon. She was so excited! Hannah was so gentle with Abbie and held her very carefully (she only tried to touch her eyes a few times!).





We were discharged Saturday morning, and took our little Abbie home!


Hannah is an amazing big sister! She loves Abbie very much, and become her second mother! She often tells us that Abbie is "soooo cute." Hannah tells us to be very quiet when baby sister is sleeping.Hannah is always willing to share toys with Abbie (especially when she is sleeping!). Hannah never ceases to entertain any of us! (Here she discovered a fancy new way of coloring her conference packet during General Conference!)Hannah always loves to snuggle with Abbie! Our two sweet little girls!