Mercy Hospital welcomed its first baby of 2024, a girl, 12 hours into the new year

Marta Mieze, Springfield News-Leader
·1 min read

Well into New Year's Day, Mercy Hospital Springfield welcomed its first baby of 2024 at 12:18 p.m. Monday.

The baby girl, Emilia Claire Kalanimakanui Layne, came into the world a week earlier than expected, according to a Mercy news release. She weighed 8 pounds and 6 ounces and measured 21 inches long.

Emilia Claire Kalanimakanui Layne was the first baby born at Mercy Hospital Springfield in 2024. She arrived at 12:18 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2024, and was welcomed by parents Chelsei and Josh Layne and big brother Callum.
Emilia Claire Kalanimakanui Layne was the first baby born at Mercy Hospital Springfield in 2024. She arrived at 12:18 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2024, and was welcomed by parents Chelsei and Josh Layne and big brother Callum.

Emilia was born to mom and dad Chelsei and Josh Layne and made Callum a big brother. Kalanimakanui, one of Emilia's middle names, means "big eyes from heaven" in Hawaiian. The name has been given as a tradition to the eldest-born daughter for several generations in Josh's family, which is Hawaiian, and is a tribute to his grandmother, according to the release.

To celebrate, Mercy gifted the Layne family a basket of presents — an annual tradition for the first girl and first boy born in the year.

More: Cox South announces first Springfield baby of 2024, born right after countdown to midnight

Emilia arrived more than 12 hours after Springfield's first baby of the year was born at Cox South at 12:02 a.m. on Monday.

In total, four babies were born at Mercy Hospital on Monday. The hospital welcomed 3,088 babies into the world in 2023, the highest number since 2015, according to the release.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Mercy Hospital Springfield welcomed its first 2024 baby