Baby girl is first baby born at Portneuf Medical Center in 2022

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Four days into 2022, a couple from Pocatello welcomed their first child into the world.

Portneuf Medica Center announced Honey is Portneuf Medical Center’s New Year’s baby. She was born at 6:03 a.m. on January 4, 2022.

New mom, Estella Johnson, and new dad, Leon Wahtomy, arrived at Portneuf on Jan. 4 just after one o’clock in the morning. After hours of labor, Honey arrived in the middle of a snowstorm. She weighed seven pounds eight ounces and was 13 ½ inches long.

“We didn’t know she was in the running for being the New Year’s Baby,” Johnson said.

Having the first baby of the New Year wasn’t the only surprise for the joyful parents. They did not know their baby’s gender before the birth.

“Finding out she was a girl was a big surprise, and then we found out she’s the first baby of the year. It’s all been very exciting.”

As the first baby born in the New Year, Honey and her family received a red wagon full of diapers, wipes, a baby monitor, baby gift set, toys, a Boppy pillow, clothing, and more. The wagon of gifts was generously donated by the Portneuf Auxiliary.

Hospital volunteers run the auxiliary and raise money for worthy causes like scholarships, patient care initiatives and gifts for the New Year’s baby.

While a baby was born via C section on January 3rd, the hospital has specific criteria they follow to determine the "first baby".

"Recognizing the first baby born in the new year is a fun and time-honored tradition at Portneuf Medical Center. Like many other hospitals, PMC uses specific criteria to determine the first baby born each year, which does not include scheduled inductions or scheduled C-sections. We value the opportunity to care for every baby born at PMC and take pride in providing outstanding care to moms and babies regardless of when – or how – the delivery takes place," a statement from the hospital reads.