> Home > About Us > News/Events

December 6 , 2007

Babies meet Santa
 
More than a third of all the babies born at Haywood Regional Medical Center this year returned Wednesday for a party in their honor.

The gymnasium at Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center was filled with babies, parents and siblings, car seat carriers and strollers. Many of the babies were dressed in red velvet Christmas attire for the Baby’s First Christmas event, sponsored by the medical center.

“The hospital started Baby’s First Christmas about 12 years ago as a way to celebrate the arrival of all the new babies,” said Betsy Wall, a lactation consultant at the Women’s Care Center. “Christmas is such a special time and the babies are a real gift to their families. We are excited that they were born at Haywood Regional Medical Center.”

Kathy Laxton and Jennifer Nelson of HRMC’s food and nutrition department spent hours piecing together nine layer cakes and decorating them with 30 pounds of white icing and another 20 pounds of colored icing to create a giant snowman for guests.

Nearby, Ed Tallant held his 8-month-old son, Ethne, who was fascinated by a huge inflatable snowman.

“I think it’s neat. It saved me from having to go to the mall to have my baby’s picture taken with Santa and it is a great way to meet other new moms,” said Summer Cole of Waynesville, who brought her 7-week-old daughter, Katie, to Baby’s First Christmas for her first introduction to Santa.

A record number of babies have been born at Haywood Regional Medical Center, said Jackie Edwards, Women’s Care Center director.

“There was a 30 percent increase in births in November, compared to last November. There will be 400 or more babies born this year, including four sets of twins, which is an all-time high,” Edwards said. “Most were born during the summer. There were 38 to 42 babies born a month during a record summer,” she said.

Becky Johnson, whose daughter, Josie, was born almost two months ago, mingled with other new mothers and collected names of any interested in joining a group of moms with new babies. The group meets in Waynesville every Tuesday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. to socialize and swap solutions to common problems, and to let the babies interact.

For more information about that group, call Johnson at 507-9141.

Photos: (top) Gavin King, 4-month-old son of Jamie King of Waynesville had a pleasant visit with Santa. (bottom) Page Moody, 4-month-old daughter of Allen and Sheena Moody of Waynesville snoozes on her mom's shoulder after meeting Santa.