DeWitt delivers state's first baby of '08

DeWitt Army Community Hospital delivered the earliest reported baby of 2008 for the state of Virginia just minutes after the New Year began.
Marine Sgt. Jay Reed and wife Erin welcomed their first child, Liam Michael, a healthy 6 pounds, 8 ounces and 20 inches long at 12:10 a.m., Jan 1.
"It's really exciting," said Erin Reed, about having the earliest reported baby.

The Reeds, originally from Syracuse, N.Y., are stationed at Marine Corps Base Quantico and moved to the area only two months ago.
According to Cpt. Mariann Richards, head nurse for DeWitt's Mother/Baby Unit, the unit was busy on the last day of the year and they were pretty confident they would have a New Year's baby.

"There were three mothers in labor on the eve so we were sure we would have a New Year's baby, but we didn't expect to have the first reported baby in Virginia," Richards said. "All the other babies were born prior to midnight."

The new parents received a red wagon full of baby gifts from the staff to commemorate the special occasion and the staff received bragging rights until the next year.

"The entire staff is so pleased to have had the first baby, as this is an annual thing we do, and because we didn't have a baby last year until the 2nd," Richards said.

Delivering babies is one of the many hallmarks of DeWitt over its 50 years of service.

According to Maj. Jeffrey Shields, chief of Patient Administration, DeWitt averages three to five births a day, which can mean none are born for a day or two, and then several are born in one.

In 2007, DeWitt delivered 887 babies, and since opening its doors in 1957, the hospital has delivered more than 63,900 babies, Shields said.

That number stands to go up considerably with the completion of the new community hospital, which will have an increased number of labor and deliver recovery rooms and bassinets; DeWitt officials expect deliveries to reach 1,700 a year by 2011.