New Year, New Beginnings: Adventist HealthCare Hospitals Celebrate First Babies of 2026

GAITHERSBURG, MD – Families and care teams at Adventist HealthCare’s acute care hospitals in Montgomery County ushered in 2026 with joy, welcoming the first babies of the new year in the early hours of Jan. 1.

At 4:15 a.m., Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center celebrated the arrival of a baby girl weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces with a family from Rockville.

Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center welcomed its first newborn of 2026 at 5:53 a.m. A family from Lanham, MD celebrated the birth of a baby boy weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce.

Both New Year’s babies received gift baskets filled with books, toys and newborn essentials to commemorate their very special beginning.

“Moments like these capture the heart of why we do this work,” said Amber Richter, director of Women’s and Infants’ Services at Shady Grove Medical Center. “We are honored that families trust the skill and compassion our care teams bring during some of life’s most meaningful moments.”

Shady Grove Medical Center delivers approximately 4,500 babies each year and also provides specialized care for nearly 500 premature or critically ill infants annually in its high-level neonatal intensive care unit. In 2024, the hospital’s Birth Center earned Maryland’s highest award for patient safety.

“The Women and Infants’ Services team is blessed to welcome our first baby of 2026 and grateful the family choose us to bring him into the world,” said James Rost, MD, a neonatologist and vice president and chief medical officer of White Oak Medical Center. “We look forward to welcoming many more infants and caring for their mothers and loved ones in the year ahead.”

White Oak Medical Center delivers nearly 2,000 babies annually, supported by dedicated maternity and neonatal teams focused on providing safe, compassionate care. The hospital has received six consecutive “A” safety grades from The Leapfrog Group.