HOLLAND (WHTC) — Leslie Van Der Hulst is a planner. She planned to deliver her second child on Tuesday via C-section at Holland Hospital. Her baby, Lincoln Michael, had other ideas.
“My water broke at about 4:30 a.m.,” Van Der Hulst said Monday afternoon, as Lincoln, 5 pounds, 13 ounces and 19.5 inches long, snoozed happily on her chest. She and her husband, Chad Van Der Hulst, made the 10 minute drive to the hospital from Holland Heights, noting the street was “a lot smoother this time around” recalling road construction when their daughter, Brooklyn, was born nearly three years ago.
The smooth ride was good, because Leslie’s contractions were coming faster and closer together.
“Leslie’s is a very plan-centric person, so when things don’t go as planned… ” Chad said, and his wife chimed in with, “but I can roll with it.”
Lincoln was delivered by C-section, arriving at 6 a.m. Monday, so his next actual birthday won’t happen for four years.
“I guess he’ll have to have two birthdays — one on Feb. 28th and one on March 1st,” Van Der Hulst said. She and her husband laughed at the notion.
While LIncoln arrived a day early, he was born at exactly her 37th week of Leslie’s pregnancy. Brooklyn — who turns 3 on April 11 — is so happy, she’s not complaining that her parents didn’t keep the baby name she chose: Hot Chocolate.
The Van Der Hulsts are co-owners, with her dad and uncle, of the Holland Township-based Quality Door in Holland Township. No one else in their extended family has been born on Feb. 29, or even a holiday, Leslie said, “although we do have a lot of people born on the 11s.”
Her mother-in-law, Barb Van Der Hulst, has a birthday on March 11. She beamed her ninth grandchild during her visit to the hospital Monday, happy to see him regardless of the day.
Lincoln was one of four Leap Day babies born at Holland Hospital before noon on Monday.
