Vancouver Island’s first baby of the year was born early Sunday at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, and it’s a boy, according to Island Health.
At 12:15 a.m., parents Taylor and Emma Grant rang in 2023 by welcoming their first child Shaun Alexander Grant, who weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz. at birth.
“We’re super excited,” Taylor told CHEK News.
“We knew it was coming close to midnight and we weren’t sure if (he was going to be the first baby born on the Island this year). It’s kind of a nice cherry on top of the whole thing.”
Vancouver Island's first baby of 2023 is a boy, weighing 7 pounds 10 oz and born at 12:15 am at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Congratulations to the family. pic.twitter.com/XrPICDrMu5
— Island Health (@VanIslandHealth) January 1, 2023
The couple, originally from Guelph, Ont., moved to Nanaimo in August and have nothing but positive things to say about the staff at the hospital.
“They’ve been awesome. They’ve been really great. Super friendly, super professional. We’ve been really happy with everyone here,” said Taylor.
Shaun and mom Emma plan to spend the remainder of New Year’s Day taking it easy, with dad adding: “They’re just resting.”
“Emma’s feeding him, and they’re both just sleeping a lot today. They both did great, she did amazing. She impressed everybody. It started and was over with really, really fast,” said Taylor.
Across British Columbia, meanwhile, the very first baby of the year was a girl, Gabriella Louise V. Camayang, born at 12:02 a.m. at Abbotsford Regional Hospital, weighing 5 lbs. 5 oz., Fraser Health said in a tweet.
In 2022, B.C.’s first baby of the year was born in Victoria.
Welcome Gabriella Louise V. Camayang! B.C.’s first baby of 2023 is a girl born at 12:02 a.m. Jan.1 at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre. Gabriella weighed in at 5lbs 10oz. #NYBaby #HappyNewYear pic.twitter.com/pcG04yOBU5
— Fraser Health (@Fraserhealth) January 1, 2023
BC's New Year's Baby is a girl! The baby was born at 12:02am at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre weighing 5 lbs. 10 oz. Congratulations to the family! pic.twitter.com/80D5Zpjrzk
— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) January 1, 2023
Ethan Morneau
