Local hospitals celebrate the first babies of the year
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IDAHO FALLS — Local hospitals rang in the New Year with their first births of 2025 this week.
Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls congratulated Elizabeth and Rodrigo Mendez. They welcomed a baby boy named Estevan. He was born just thirty minutes into the New Year.
The EIRMC Volunteer Auxiliary presented the Mendez family with a gift basket of goodies to take care of Estevan.
Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls proudly announced Chance Wilder Kelly was born to parents Jamie and Carson Kelly on Jan. 1 at 11:15 a.m. He weighed 9 pounds 7 ounces and measured 21.5 inches at birth.
It’s a tradition at the hospital to shower the first baby of the New Year and the family with gifts. Chance and his parents will go home with $1,500 worth of baby supplies, including a jogger stroller, Pack ‘n Play, baby clothes, swaddle blankets, diapers, and wipes. Jamie was given bath salts, gift cards, and other supplies to pamper herself and adjust to life as the mom of a newborn.
“We are always excited to see who will become the first baby of the New Year,” said Serenity Richards, Mountain View Hospital’s Labor and Delivery/Postpartum manager, in a news release. “We are so happy for Jamie and Carson as they start their new life with baby Chance. We feel honored they chose to welcome their baby into the world at Mountain View Hospital.”
At Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg, Kara and Caleb Hornbeck are the proud parents of a 6-pound, 6-ounce baby girl. They have named her Hope. She was born at 4:28 a.m. on Jan. 1. She joins the family with four siblings.
The hospital gave the family a gift basket filled with baby essentials.
“Welcoming the first baby of the year is always a joyous occasion,” hospital spokesman Doug McBride said in a news release. “It’s a moment that brings hope and happiness to our hospital and the entire community. We are honored to be part of this milestone for the Hornbeck family.”
EastIdahoNews.com was told by Grove Creek Medical Center in Blackfoot that the first baby of the year was coming “any minute” on Thursday, Jan. 2. We await more details.