Sarah and George Moore were surprised to learn they were having the first New Year’s baby on the Sunshine Coast on Jan. 5.
“My due date was Dec. 30, but because it was already Jan. 5, I figured something had probably already happened. I know there were a few people who were all due kind of beginning of January,” said proud mom Sarah in her Langdale home this week.
She and husband George were told their baby was in line for the distinction after they arrived at St. Mary’s Hospital that Monday evening.
“One of the nurses said ‘you could have the New Year’s baby’ and we’re like ‘news to us,’” George said.
Sarah headed to the hospital with contractions about three and a half minutes apart, and once doctors discovered the baby’s heart rate was dropping, the parents opted to change their birth plan.
“When I got to the hospital his heartbeat was dropping low, so we pretty much decided to have a C-section within 20 minutes of getting to the hospital,” Sarah said.
At 7:04 p.m. George Edward Moore made his arrival, much to the delight of the new parents, who were married in 2013 and eager to start a family together.
Baby George weighed a healthy 6 lbs., 13 oz. and measured 20 inches long.
His name had been chosen long before he was born.
“It’s a family name. My name’s George. It’s my Dad’s name, my Grandpa’s name. There’s five generations of George Edward Moore,” said the proud father this week.
The tradition of naming sons George goes back even further in the Moore family.
“The name George goes back 14 generations,” Sarah noted.
The new parents are enjoying their first weeks at home with baby George, who has found some fame as the 2015 New Year’s baby.
The family has received many well wishes and visits from family and friends wanting to see the new addition, as well as visits from local news outlets and gifts from the St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation, Welcome Wagon and Coast Reporter.
Sarah and George plan to have more children in the future, although they’re not sure when they’ll start trying for number two.
“We’ll see how this one goes first,” George said with a smile.
The couple would like to thank the caring and supportive staff at St. Mary’s Hospital for all their help bringing baby George into the world as well as doctors Russell Kellett and Rayna Sivakova.
