New Year’s Baby finally born at hospital

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Although it took more than a week, Van Wert County Hospital now has its New Year’s Baby for 2017.

Kanin May came into the world at 2:46 p.m. Monday, January 9, to be the first baby born in the new year at the hospital. Kanin weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces, which was pretty close to his parents’ other two children, now ages 3 and 5.

Parents are Chaise May and Jalyn Egnor, and Egnor said she was a little surprised that her baby was the first of the new year.

“We’re excited,” she said, noting that she was originally scheduled for a Caesarian section on January 16, but doctors decided to move that procedure up to January 9. “I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be the New Year’s Baby on the 9th, but we’ll take it.”

“We were all surprised that we didn’t have a New Year’s Baby until January 9 this year,” said Ellen Rager, patient and community coordinator at the hospital. “We’re thrilled for the Egnor family and are proud to have such a wonderful family to receive the recognition of birthing the first baby at Van Wert County Hospital. What a great way for this family to start the New Year!”

Rager noted it was unusual for a New Year’s Baby to be born so late, but said the hospital had a lull after what was a pretty busy year for births in 2016, with 15 more births recorded overall than the year before. “I’m sure there’s going to be a mass of babies being born in the last half of the month.”

Rager added that, a couple of years ago, the New Year’s Baby was born at 12:05 a.m. on January 1, noting that it’s hard to determine exactly when the first baby of each year will be born.

“We can’t predict these things,” Rager said. “It was just the way it went, and we are so excited for the family.”

The hospital always provides a number of donated items to the family of the first baby born each year. In addition to Ghirardelli chocolates, this year’s “first family” will receive a $25 gift card to both Subway and Pizza Hut, and a $30 gift certificate to Brewed Expressions Café. Egnor will also receive a teething necklace that is safe for her baby to chew on, while the family also received a $50 gift card to Walmart to buy needed items for the new baby.

The New Year’s Baby will also receive a fuzzy winter hat, toys, books, rattles, and a giraffe blanket, while also being lulled to sleep by a stuffed elephant that plays music.

The family will also receive a car seat canopy (to keep the baby warm during the winter), a bath grooming kit, a bath spout cover, two large boxes of diapers, wipes, and a stroller organizer.