Daviess Community Hospital Announces 1st Baby of 2024

First Baby of 2024 Born at DCH

Daviess Community Hospital Announces 1^st Baby of 2024

January 2, 2024 (Washington, IN) — Several babies were born in the days leading up to the new year, but just 53 minutes into the new year, the first baby of 2024 came into the world at Daviess Community Hospital.

Jose and Alejandra Ortiz had been counting the days until their fifth child was due to be born. “I was originally due on January 9th,” Alejandra explained. “I had been seeing Dr. John Stafford for the last several months. He was on call that night to deliver our baby.”

Unlike her previous four pregnancies, Alejandra’s water broke at home here in Washington. The couple came to DCH on the evening of December 31^st. At 12:53 a.m., little Joel Emiliano Ortiz arrived, weighing in at 8 lbs., 6 oz. and measuring 22 inches long. The couple was excited to learn that Jose was officially the first baby of 2024 born at DCH.

“The doctors, nurses and lactation team who took care of us before, during and after the birth were awesome,” the new parents said. “All five of our children have been born at this hospital and we feel it has always been a great experience.”

Luckily for Joel, being the first born of 2024 at DCH came with some perks. The baby’s gift from DCH includes a giant wagon filled with shampoo, lotion, a giant stuffed tiger, toys, a baby book, diapers and more.

In 2023, there were 472 babies born at Daviess Community Hospital. Shawna O’Kelley Brinson, Director of OB/Nursery, remarked, “Our numbers are steadily increasing from year to year with this year being higher than the last three. With the great reputation of our Women’s Health Center and the highly skilled OB physicians here in Washington, we anticipate continued growth in the coming year.”

To learn more about Daviess Community Hospital’s Women’s Health Center, go to www.dchosp.org or call 812-254-8880.