WINTER PARK, Fla. – Preparing for a new baby is stressful. So is planning for the approach of a dangerous storm. Lindsay Friedmann recently had to do both, at the same time.
Friedmann, who lives in New Orleans, was 39 weeks pregnant as Hurricane Ida churned toward the Gulf Coast. She and her husband Josh elected to ride out the storm at home so she could deliver at the same hospital where she’d given birth to their first two children.
They made it safely through the storm, but their plans quickly changed in the aftermath.
[TRENDING: Video shows school bus running over man | School districts react to latest rule on quarantining | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
“The power company declared a catastrophic failure, and that’s when we knew we were out of here,” Friedmann said. “The house was fine, so we did a little bit of cleanup, and then we cleared out.”
Fortunately for the Friedmann’s, one of their closest friends in New Orleans is Carly Plotkin, whose parents live in Winter Park. Plotkin’s father is Dr. Jay Plotkin, a longtime OB-GYN at AdventHealth Winter Park. Dr. Plotkin set Lindsay up with a local OB-GYN and pediatrician, and got her registered at the hospital just in case she went into labor.
News 6 spoke with Dr. Jay Plotkin who said he was happy to receive them in his home before Lindsey delivered the baby.
The Friedmann’s, their two daughters, 5-year-old CJ and 1-year-old Millie, and their three dogs got into town on Aug. 31.
Four days later, Dr. Plotkin said he knew the night before that Lindsey would be going into labor.
“The day before she actually believed, and she jumped into the swimming pool with her two little kids and I said she hadn’t been doing that for the past couple of days so I said she is going to have a baby tonight and I was right,” Dr. Plotkin said.
Friedmann delivered at the Baby Place at AdventHealth Winter Park. William Friedmann was born at 4:46 a.m. Sept. 4, weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces, and measuring 20.5 inches.
“There was such a sense of relief that we were going to be taken care of, and there’s an eternal sense of gratitude,” Friedmann said. “Everyone was really wonderful, so friendly and supportive.”
The Winter Park team was quick to step in and assist the family.
“We treat everyone like family here at AdventHealth Winter Park, and that’s exactly what Dr. Plotkin and our team did when they provided a safe space for this family during a time of chaos and uncertainty,” AdventHealth Winter Park CEO Justin Birmele said. “I’m so glad we were able to come together and help this family in their time of need.”