Albuquerque Welcomes First Baby of 2025: A Surprise Arrival

Albuquerque  – An Albuquerque mother’s routine visit to Lovelace Hospital for flu symptoms turned into a life-changing moment when she gave birth to the city’s first baby of 2025. Diana Galindo and her partner, Antonio Valadez, were not expecting such a surprise on New Year’s Eve. “Her due date was January 16, so she came early,” Galindo shared.

Galindo initially went to Lovelace to address flu-like symptoms. However, before she was discharged, doctors discovered an unexpected development. “They checked me and said, ‘Well, you can’t go home now. You’re five centimeters dilated,’” Galindo recounted. While others were counting down to the new year, Galindo was preparing to welcome a new addition to her family. “I was having contractions,” she said.

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At 12:36 a.m. on January 1, Galindo delivered Aylani Valadez, a baby girl weighing six pounds and 15 ounces. She is the couple’s first daughter, joining three older brothers. “We weren’t sure if she was the first baby because we knew others were in the hospital around the same time, but then they came in and told us she was the first,” Galindo explained.

The couple described the moment as a priceless way to begin 2025. “It was excitement all around—not just for us as parents but for the entire hospital staff. They took great care of her, making sure her flu was under control and that she was doing fine,” Valadez said.

Other hospitals in Albuquerque also welcomed their first babies of the year. UNM Hospital reported its first birth at 9:44 a.m., a baby boy named Case Joseph Gabaldon. Presbyterian Hospital welcomed two newborns shortly after midnight, at 12:45 a.m. and 12:54 a.m.

The arrival of these new babies brought joy to families and hospital staff alike, marking a hopeful start to 2025.