Baby girl born at EMMC first in Maine in ’08

BANGOR – Averie Gagnon was supposed to have entered the world Monday afternoon in time for her mother, Arica Gagnon, to have a nap before welcoming in the new year.

But Averie apparently was more interested in being the first baby born in Maine in 2008 than one of the last born in 2007.

The 8-pound girl, who is 20 inches long, arrived at 12:16 a.m. New Year’s Day at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. She was the first baby born in the state based on an informal survey of Maine hospitals on Tuesday.

“We’d planned to have the baby about 3 p.m. [Monday],” her father, Ben Gagnon, 28, of West Enfield said during an impromptu press conference Tuesday afternoon in his wife’s hospital room.

Throughout most of her pregnancy, the mother said, the baby had been lying on her side and had refused to put her head down in preparation for birth. A Caesarean section was scheduled for Monday afternoon, but when the Gagnons arrived at the hospital, the baby was pointed in the right direction.

“They induced labor instead of doing a section and she took a little longer than we expected,” said Arica Gagnon, 27.

Camden Gagnon, 5, and Blake Gagnon, 4, joined their little sister to meet the media. Maternal grandmother Barbara Tompkins, 50, and her father, Gene Stanley, 76, both of West Enfield, also were on hand.

The little girl who was the center of all the attention opened her eyes wide for the cameras and wiggled in big brother Camden’s arms.

“I’m going to help my mom,” the Gagnons’ first-born said. “I’m going to bring her clean diapers.”

Each boy claimed to love his new sister more than the other did, at least while she was still at the hospital. Their sister is expected to join them at home today, Arica Gagnon said.

Holiday births aren’t new to the family, Ben Gagnon said. Camden was born on Mother’s Day in 2002.

With her family gathered around her, Arica Gagnon wiped tears from her eyes.

“I feel blessed,” she said, “very, very blessed.”

New Year’s Day provided a few firsts for young Shelby Lynn Peabody, the daughter of Leslie and Crystal Peabody of Beals. Although she missed being the first baby born in Maine, Shelby was the first baby born Down East in 2008.

The 7-pound, 7-ounce girl came into the world at 2:43 a.m. Tuesday at Down East Community Hospital in Machias. She was 20 inches long and was the seventh baby born in the state on Tuesday.

“We kind of thought it might be today,” Crystal Peabody said Tuesday morning from the hospital room where the new father, Leslie, was practicing holding and feeding young Shelby. “Her due date was the 31st, but she wanted to be a New Year’s baby.”

In addition to getting used to a bottle, Shelby also was being introduced to her big extended family. As a New Year’s baby, she also is the first grandchild on both sides of the family, so her hospital room was filled with a host of grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins.

“She had all kinds of company this morning,” Crystal Peabody said.

Both mother and daughter are doing well.

Maine’s second baby of the year was a boy who arrived at 1:08 a.m. Tuesday at Mercy Hospital in Portland, according to the informal survey of Maine hospitals.

Babies also were born on New Year’s Day at The Aroostook Medical Center in Presque Isle, Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport and Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft. Further information was unavailable.

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