CINCINNATI — Hospitals around the Greater Cincinnati area welcomed their first babies born in the year 2026 Thursday, starting as soon as midnight on the dot.
Bethesda North Hospital shared with us photos of their first newborn of the year, born at the stroke of midnight. A name had not yet been chosen.
Within the Christ Hospital Health Network, the first baby welcomed in 2026 was born at the Mount Auburn Birthing Center in Cincinnati. The baby, named Balance, was born at 12:01 a.m. Thursday to his first-time mother Ari, according to Christ Hospital.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare celebrated its first newborn of the year at 1:01 a.m. Thursday. Madilyn was born at the St. Elizabeth Birth Place in Edgewood, the hospital said.
Madilyn was born to first-time parents Carly Bowman and Jonathan Bayless.
WATCH: We spoke to some of the parents of these New Year's Day newborns
"Family always was joking about it, of having a Christmas baby or a New Year's baby. I never thought it would actually happen, but sure enough. Here we are," Bowman told us.
At Atrium Medical Center in Middletown, baby Koah was the first of the year. He was born at 12:24 a.m. Thursday and welcomed by his parents and older brother.
At UC Medical Center, Terrence was born just three minutes into 2026.
"He's going to be named after his father," said Terrence's mother, Chivelle Jones.
