Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia welcomed its first baby of the year at 10:54 a.m. on Wednesday, hospital officials said.
According to Patrick Moody, Henry Mayo’s director of marketing and public relations, two mothers were simultaneously in labor early Wednesday morning. Audrey Chua’s first child, baby girl Eloise Juliet Chua, was the first born at the hospital in 2025.
“I didn’t think she was going to be the first baby because she was born after 10 a.m.,” Chua said. “I thought someone was going to have a baby at 1 a.m. or something.”
But as the baby was on her way, Chua said the nursing staff rushed in to celebrate the first baby of the year. That’s when she found out they were even in the running.
According to the baby’s dad, Jared Chua, the due date was Dec. 28. On Monday, the soon-to-be parents met with their doctor, and the baby still wasn’t ready to be born. The plan, the new dad said, was to induce at 6 p.m. on Jan. 1.
As it turned out, there was no need for that. The Chuas of Saugus checked into Henry Mayo at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and Eloise was born less than 24 hours later.
Eloise was 7 pounds, 2 ounces and measuring 20.75 inches long. Both mother and baby were doing well, the parents said.
The baby’s dad spoke about New Year’s resolutions.
“It’s going to be ongoing,” he said, “growing with the baby, learning as we go. Because I feel like, for me, instead of a one-time resolution, it’s an iterative process throughout the year.”
As for the other mother in labor at the hospital, her baby, according to nurses, had still not arrived by 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The Chuas, however, were thrilled to have had the first baby of 2025 — and were especially excited to be new parents.
