At St. Joe, a rush of New Year’s babies
New Year’s Eve and the early hours of 2026 proved especially festive at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center’s Family Beginnings, where six babies were born in a 12-hour span.
That is not normal.
“It was a very busy night, a very wonderful night,” said Melissa Thompson, a nurse in the hospital’s maternity ward.
The expectant parents were, of course, aware of the approaching turn of the calendar.
“A lot of our patients, they were racing to get there,” said Thompson. “Some of them obviously delivered earlier in the day and others a little bit after, but everyone was super excited.”
Elias Lee Davis, a boy weighing in at 5 pounds , 13.5 ounces, arrived at 1:38 a.m. to be the first known baby of 2026 in the Lewiston Tribune circulation area. The parents are Alexis Barnette Ludwig and Jason Davis, both of Pomeroy. The proud grandparents are Mary Davis, Tami Hansen, Melissa Gray, Tonnie Ludwig and Marvin Ludwig.
The second baby of 2026 was born at 3:06 a.m. and the third arrived at 5:32 a.m.
The race for first baby of the new year was close. Not unlike some New Year’s Eve fireworks that brighten the night sky a tad before the clock strikes midnight, the last baby of 2025 arrived at 11:44 p.m.
The other New Year’s Eve babies were born at 6:15 p.m. and 10:40 p.m.
The hospital congratulated all of the newbies and their families in a celebratory Facebook post:
“Welcome to the world, little ones–and thank you to our incredible Family Beginnings staff and providers! Delivering New Year’s babies. That’s why we’re here.”
The hospital was recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a “2026 Best Hospital for Maternity Care.” According to a Dec. 10 news release from the hospital, it was also recognized as a Maternity Care Access Hospital by the publication. The designation that recognizes “essential hospitals that serve communities that would be in danger of becoming maternity care deserts if they were to stop providing crucial maternity care service” was awarded to 147 hospitals.
The other newborns include Charlie Douglas Miller, born Wednesday to Hannah Barnes and Jordan Miller of Lewiston; Debbie Danielle Dawson, born Wednesday to Kasey Bond and Noah Dawson of Pomeroy; Tate Jeffrey Lunceford, born Wednesday to Hope and Leighton Lunceford of Lewiston; Evelynne Jean Morgan, born Thursday to Meg and Tim Morgan of Moscow; and Gradi Ann Lynch, born Thursday to Molly and Matthew Lynch of Clarkston.