Local hospitals see first babies of the new year hours after midnight

A special delivery at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton — welcoming the new year with the hospital’s first baby of 2026.

The newborn arrived shortly after the clock struck midnight, giving one family lots to celebrate.

While many families across the city welcomed the new year with the sounds of cheering and fireworks, one Hamilton couple heard something a little different.

Trish Abello and Logan Rathbone went to the hospital Wednesday morning, preparing for the birth of their first baby.

Less than 24 hours later, a tiny Meadow entered the world.

“It feels like the best start to a new year, to be honest,” said Abello. “We knew the induction would be Dec. 31, but we didn’t know how long it would take and if she would in fact be the first baby of 2026.”

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After Abello was induced, Meadow arrived at 1:44 a.m., Jan. 1, St. Joseph’s first baby of 2026.

While the induction was expected, their newborn still arrived two weeks early — weighing just 5 lbs, 3 oz.

“Nothing can top this day,” said Abello.

“2025 was a bit of a rough year, so hopefully this is a nice New Year’s miracle to start a more positive, more fun year for 2026,” said Rathbone.

While Meadow helped ring in the new year at St. Joseph’s in Hamilton, other regions are celebrating their first babies of 2026 as well.

Parents Rachel and Robert McColeman in Niagara celebrated the start of 2026 the same way — welcoming their son Rory at 3:26 a.m.

In Hamilton, Meadow was the first of what St. Joseph’s Healthcare expects to be more than 3,000 babies born at the facility this year.

READ MORE: Hospitals in Greater Hamilton Area see their first babies of 2025