Photo of nurses ringing in the New Year, courtesy of Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

As of Tuesday, December 31 at 11:00 am, Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) recorded three babies already born, including one set of twins. “And we have seven women in early labor right now,” said Kim Savage of SMH at the time. “So as of this minute, we have had 4,110 babies birthed for 2019 – an all-time record high for one year!” These New Year’s Eve newborns may have slided in just in time to stay within the teen decade, but for those mothers delivering since midnight and throughout the day today, the team at SMH planned for their annual special surprise delivery for the first January 1, 2020 baby. “We will be presenting our traditional basket of gifts to the family of the first New Year’s baby born at SMH tomorrow,” shared Savage yesterday. 

Every year, SMH nurses and associates get together to fill a laundry basket full of gifts for the lucky family. It includes a variety of baby care and safety items, including several kinds of thermometers (you can never have too many), soft blankets, clothes, stuffed animals (including a teddy bear dressed in scrubs), a Tummy Time play mat and activity toys. Also included is a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne for the parents, along with flutes to commemorate 2020, celebrate a new year, new life and new beginnings.

“It’s always so exciting to be here on New Year’s Eve,” said Labor & Delivery nurse Debbie Dietz, who has been helping deliver babies this week. “Delivering a baby is always a special event, but the energy and spirit of the New Year makes it even more momentous.”

You can look for posts tagged with the #smhNew hashtag for social media photos and real-time news updates throughout the day.

Photo of nurses ringing in the New Year, courtesy of Sarasota Memorial Hospital.