First baby of 2012 finally arrives
Published 10:02 am Wednesday, January 11, 2012
FRANKLIN—Lundyn Marie Flythe arrived 11 days early to become Southampton Memorial Hospital’s first baby for 2012.
Myisha Cowans, who on Monday delivered Southampton Memorial Hospital’s first baby of 2012, holds Lundyn Marie Flythe as the baby’s father, Robert Flythe, looks on. -- SUBMITTED
Lundyn was born at 6:55 a.m. Monday to Myisha Cowans, 21, of Franklin and Robert Flythe, 21, of Courtland. She weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces and was 19 inches long.
“I knew there hadn’t been one yet, then after I had her (they told me she was the New Year’s baby,)” Cowans said.
It’s been more than 20 years since the Franklin hospital has waited until Jan. 9 for its first delivery of the year, said SMH Director of Marketing Anne Williams.
The hospital typically delivers 20 to 25 babies a month. The last baby born in 2011 was around 6:30 on New Year’s Eve. Over the past few years, the first baby was born a day or two into the new year.
Cowans said her water broke at about 2 a.m. Monday and she delivered the baby five hours later. As of Tuesday morning, there were no other babies in the hospital.
Flythe never expected to have the New Year’s baby since Lundyn’s due date was Jan. 20.
“I really didn’t think it was possible,” said Flythe, who works as a scale and watchman at West Fraser paper mill in Seaboard, N.C.
He called his daughter’s birth a blessing.
The couple on Wednesday will take home their new baby along with a gift basket from the hospital. This year’s basket included a picture frame, brushes and combs, a stuffed animal, diapers, formula and more.
