Several Families Welcome Babies on New Year’s Day

One New Year's Baby even shares a birthday with her mom

FARGO, N.D. — Several families are celebrating the start of a new life along with the new year.

“I was in the middle of a contraction and heard someone say, ‘oh it’s 2019,’ so not what I expected for a celebration,” Brittany Nygaard, a new mom, said.

That’s certainly not a typical way to ring in the new year.

After being in labor for eight hours, parents Brittany and Jarred welcomed their little bundle of joy named Nadia at 4:59 a.m. at Sanford.

“I’m very surprised, I did not expect it all, but we made it through and had quite the New Year’s Eve, and it’s fun. We were happy to meet her early,” Nygaard said.

She says holding her baby for the first time felt very surreal.

“I was very thankful, I mean, every baby’s a miracle. Just to have her on my chest and hold her is just a rush of excitement and emotions all at once. It’s hard to describe but it was amazing really,” she said.

Not long after Nadia was born at Sanford, one mother gave birth at Essentia, and she even shares a birthday with her baby.

“I thought it was going to be before, I didn’t think she was going to come on my birthday. But she ended up being here, and it was the best birthday gift,” Katie Arrieta said.

She and Jerome, the father, welcomed their little one named Alora at 6:05 a.m.

“When I was born in 1993, I was the first one in Williston, North Dakota, so I made it in the papers and all of that,” Arrieta said.

Big sister Mila was even born on the 4th of July.

With birthdays falling on holidays, Katie wants to remind her little ones to celebrate themselves.

“You tend to think more about the holiday and everyone thinks it’s more about partying. I hope she ends up celebrating her and her birthday more than focusing on the other stuff,” she said.

Both babies came a few days earlier than their due dates.