Edmonton girl first Alberta baby born in 2024, arrives at midnight

Mother Laura Falk holds daughter Isley Noelle Falk on Jan. 1, 2024, at Edmonton's Grey Nuns hospital. The girl weighing 10 lb. was the first baby born in Alberta in 2024. (Credit: Alberta Health Services)

This little girl didn't waste any time in 2024.

Isley Noelle Falk, weighing 10 lb., arrived at midnight Monday at Edmonton's Grey Nuns hospital to mother Laura Falk, becoming Alberta's first baby born this year, Alberta Health Services said in a media release.

"We weren't expecting Jan. 1 (as a birth date) as I was induced on Dec. 29," Falk said via the release. "It's crazy she hung on for so long ..., and we were surprised that she was born right at the stroke of midnight. Either way, it's a special day."

Marianthi Qiro, weighing 6 lb. 5 oz., was the first baby born in Calgary this year, arriving at 12:25 a.m. to mother Marina and father Chris, following a brief labour.

"We were at a New Year’s Eve party when my wife started feeling pain around 9 p.m.," Chris said. "We went to the hospital all dressed up and watched the fireworks at midnight from our room. A few minutes later, our daughter was born."

Red Deer's first baby arrived shortly after 3 a.m.

Bailee is the latest addition to her family: the 7 lb. 9 oz. girl delivered at 3:11 a.m. at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre is mother Victoria Dorie's and father Scott Beardy's fifth child.

"We weren’t sure if she would be a New Year's baby or not when I went into labour,” Victoria said. “There were others in labour around the same time, so it was a bit of a surprise to be told we had the first one of the new year here.”