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While his parents may have been planning a very quiet New Year’s Eve, Canberra’s first born baby in 2021 had other ideas. Douglas Gregory White, born at 3.23am on Friday and weighing a slender 2.66 kilograms, was welcomed into the world at Canberra Hospital a bit earlier than expected. Mum, Michelle White, had been booked in for a caesarean section next week and when she began having contractions at about 9.30pm on New Year’s Eve she was convinced it was Braxton Hicks contractions, not the real thing. “I didn’t know I was in labour because I’ve never really been in labour before,” Mrs White said. Her two older children were born via caesarean. So convinced was she that her labour was nothing out of the ordinary, Mrs White stayed in bed until 1am and when she still couldn’t sleep drove herself to the hospital. When she was seen by a doctor at Canberra Hospital she was told she would be having a caesarean in less than an hour. As dad, Edward White, said: “We really started 2021 with a bang!” Mrs White said it was such a quick journey from assuming she would be sent home to being taken into the operating theatre she didn’t have time to comprehend she was giving birth on New Year’s Day. “It’s something quite exciting for Douglas to look back on one day,” she said. The couple struggled with boy names, Mrs White said, they’d compiled a long list of girl names. But they actually settled on Douglas quite quickly, inspired by a love of old-fashioned names, and they picked Gregory for one of Michelle’s uncles. Douglas joins Edward and Michelle’s two older children, three-year-old Adelene and Frederick, 19 months. Adelene was very excited at the prospect of a new sibling, Mrs White said, and she expected Frederick would be thrilled one day when he realises he has a brother. Mrs White said while the family were fortunate to be in Canberra and relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, she said the pregnancy had been somewhat altered by the pandemic, primarily having to attend most appointments alone. “I certainly felt for anyone having their first child this year,” she said. “It would have been extra daunting.” Mrs White admitted to having moments of anxiousness during her pregnancy as the pandemic unfolded, especially how it could affect her ability to access medical care. “But as time went on the hysteria in the community calmed down,” she said. The White family moved to Canberra two years ago, with Michelle originally from Tamworth and Edward, who works at Canberra Hospital, from Gunnedah. With family spread across the country it was unclear when Douglas would be able to meet all of his relatives. While some were travelling to Canberra and ensuring they avoided any COVID-19 hotspots, some of Mr White’s family live in Sydney and would face an extended wait to meet the family’s newest member. While he was born during a time of global upheaval, Mrs White said she had simple hopes for Douglas and her other children’s future. “All I think you can hope is for your kids to be happy and healthy and to be successful in whatever they do,” Mrs White said. READ MORE: Mr White hoped for, “something a bit quieter for 2021 and a lot more time spent with family.” Despite being surrounded by a room full of journalists and less than a day old, Douglas took the camera flashes and his first interview in his stride by sleeping through the entire thing. “Hopefully this is something that he continues,” Mrs White joked.
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While his parents may have been planning a very quiet New Year’s Eve, Canberra’s first born baby in 2021 had other ideas.
Douglas Gregory White, born at 3.23am on Friday and weighing a slender 2.66 kilograms, was welcomed into the world at Canberra Hospital a bit earlier than expected.
Mum, Michelle White, had been booked in for a caesarean section next week and when she began having contractions at about 9.30pm on New Year’s Eve she was convinced it was Braxton Hicks contractions, not the real thing.
“I didn’t know I was in labour because I’ve never really been in labour before,” Mrs White said. Her two older children were born via caesarean.
So convinced was she that her labour was nothing out of the ordinary, Mrs White stayed in bed until 1am and when she still couldn’t sleep drove herself to the hospital.
When she was seen by a doctor at Canberra Hospital she was told she would be having a caesarean in less than an hour.
As dad, Edward White, said: “We really started 2021 with a bang!”
Mrs White said it was such a quick journey from assuming she would be sent home to being taken into the operating theatre she didn’t have time to comprehend she was giving birth on New Year’s Day.
“It’s something quite exciting for Douglas to look back on one day,” she said.
The couple struggled with boy names, Mrs White said, they’d compiled a long list of girl names.
But they actually settled on Douglas quite quickly, inspired by a love of old-fashioned names, and they picked Gregory for one of Michelle’s uncles.
Douglas joins Edward and Michelle’s two older children, three-year-old Adelene and Frederick, 19 months.
Adelene was very excited at the prospect of a new sibling, Mrs White said, and she expected Frederick would be thrilled one day when he realises he has a brother.
Mrs White said while the family were fortunate to be in Canberra and relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, she said the pregnancy had been somewhat altered by the pandemic, primarily having to attend most appointments alone.
“I certainly felt for anyone having their first child this year,” she said.
“It would have been extra daunting.”
Mrs White admitted to having moments of anxiousness during her pregnancy as the pandemic unfolded, especially how it could affect her ability to access medical care.
“But as time went on the hysteria in the community calmed down,” she said.
The White family moved to Canberra two years ago, with Michelle originally from Tamworth and Edward, who works at Canberra Hospital, from Gunnedah.
With family spread across the country it was unclear when Douglas would be able to meet all of his relatives.
While some were travelling to Canberra and ensuring they avoided any COVID-19 hotspots, some of Mr White’s family live in Sydney and would face an extended wait to meet the family’s newest member.
While he was born during a time of global upheaval, Mrs White said she had simple hopes for Douglas and her other children’s future.
“All I think you can hope is for your kids to be happy and healthy and to be successful in whatever they do,” Mrs White said.
Mr White hoped for, “something a bit quieter for 2021 and a lot more time spent with family.”
Despite being surrounded by a room full of journalists and less than a day old, Douglas took the camera flashes and his first interview in his stride by sleeping through the entire thing.
“Hopefully this is something that he continues,” Mrs White joked.
