'A great way to welcome the New Year': Utah hospitals celebrate 1st babies born in 2024

Carter Williams
·2 min read
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At left, baby Mira, who was born at St. Mark’s Hospital in Murray. At right, a baby boy was born at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Both babies were born at 12:18 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
At left, baby Mira, who was born at St. Mark’s Hospital in Murray. At right, a baby boy was born at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Both babies were born at 12:18 a.m. on New Year’s Day. | MountainStar Healthcare and Yasmin Valdez
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Two babies delivered at different Salt Lake County hospitals may have tied to be the first born in Utah this year.

Yasmin Valdez and Victor, of Salt Lake City, welcomed a baby boy via cesarean section at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray 18 minutes after the new year began, Intermountain Health officials said.

A baby girl, Mira, the child of a couple identified as Arti and Fiaz, of South Salt Lake, also entered the world at 12:18 a.m. on Monday, but at St. Mark's Hospital in Millcreek, according to MountainStar Healthcare.

A baby girl delivered at Holy Cross Hospital-Davis in Layton at 1:55 a.m. was the firstborn within the CommonSpirit Health system. A baby boy born at University of Utah Hospital at 2:39 a.m. was the first born in the University of Utah Health system, among health care systems, independent hospitals and birthing centers that have reported their first New Year's births.

All of the families are thrilled to welcome Utah's newest residents.

In a statement through Intermountain Health, Valdez explained that she has limited use of her ankles and feet from a neurological syndrome she was diagnosed with a little over a decade ago. She didn't expect to become pregnant but saw additional high-risk care when she did.

Her labor was induced after her baby had some umbilical cord complications

"He is a miracle baby," Valdez said on Monday, noting that her son, weighing 7 pounds and 8 ounces, is the same weight she was when she was born.

Arti and Fiaz, speaking through MountainStar officials, said they are still processing the arrival of their newest family member, but they joked they can never forget Mira's memorable birthday.

"It's a great way to welcome the New Year," they said. "It was unexpected, but it's been nice news for our family."

Utah Department of Health and Human Services has not yet reported how many babies were born in Utah last year, but it notes that there were 45,774 children born to Utah residents in 2022.