McKinney resident Nicole Roach thought she’d be spending her New Year’s Eve relaxing, but when her water broke early Saturday morning on Dec. 31, she ended up spending nearly 24 hours in labor.
At 4:46 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1, Nicole gave birth to her first child, a healthy baby girl named Lilia. Weighing in at 8 pounds, .07 ounces, Lilia was the first baby born at Centennial Medical Center in Frisco for 2012.
“I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Nicole said of the experience. “They made little celebration hats for me, my fiancé and Lilia.”
As midnight neared, Centennial staff members checked with other hospitals in the area to see if Nicole might be a contender for the first new mom of 2012, and the physician who delivered Lilia believes she was the first baby born for Frisco, McKinney and Allen.
Nicole elected for a natural birth, and she said Centennial’s staff members were helpful throughout the entire process, which was a relief because her new daughter arrived a week early.
“I planned to be at Centennial for the birth, and they were amazing at helping me through,” she said. “The entire labor and maternity department and all the staff are just amazing.”
Dr. Lori Halderman, the physician who delivered Lilia, said Nicole worked very hard through her long labor to stay committed to her natural birth plan.
“It’s very admirable for someone to stay committed through the pain,” Dr. Halderman said. She has been in private practice for 11 years, and said she’s delivered the “New Year’s Baby” once before, about seven years ago in McKinney.
“The nurses, myself and her parents are full of hope and anticipation for what the next year will bring for Lilia,” Dr. Halderman said. “We know how significant it is to be born on the first day of the New Year and how special it will be for her whole life.”
Nicole said she’s looking forward to celebrating each New Year in a special way with Lilia and can’t wait to start sharing the story of her birth.