Kaweah Delta Welcomes 2017 New Year's Baby

VISALIA, CA – Kaweah Delta Medical Center has welcomed its first baby of 2017.

Ashton James Gutierrez was born at 12:34 a.m. on Sun., Jan. 1, at Kaweah Delta Medical Center.

Ashton weighed in at 7 pounds, 7 ounces and was 20 inches in length. His parents are Ariel

Gutierrez, 19 and Isac Gutierrez, 20, of Tulare. Both are graduates of Mission Oak High School in Tulare. The child is the first for the couple and the first grandchild for the couple’s families.

Ashton was never expected to be a New Year’s baby. In fact, Ariel’s due date was Dec. 28. Her doctor had scheduled her to be induced at 8 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 2. But suddenly on New Year’s Eve around 2 a.m., Ariel’s water broke.

“It was nerve-wracking and surprising,” said Ariel, who pushed for two hours before Ashton was born. “He was alert and looking at everyone. It’s been amazing and unreal how fast everything happened.”

For being the New Year baby at Kaweah Delta Medical Center, Ashton received a New Year’s diaper cake from nurses at the hospital. "They were awesome. They are always in and out checking on us," Ariel said.

A total of 10 babies have been born as of 12 p.m. at Kaweah Delta. Each year, approximately 4,200 babies are delivered at Kaweah Delta Medical Center.

Established in 1963, Kaweah Delta Health Care District is the only trauma center between Fresno and Bakersfield. Kaweah Delta Medical Center was recently awarded four out of five stars in overall hospital quality from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and an A in hospital safety in Leapfrog’s Fall 2016 Hospital Safety Score. The district offers a comprehensive scope of services including everything from a well-respected pediatric hospitalist program to nationally recognized orthopedic and cancer programs. For more information, visit www.kaweahdelta.org or follow Kaweah Delta on Twitter and Facebook.