First baby of the year arrives early as parents in South Lake Tahoe visiting family

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The first baby of the year born in South Lake Tahoe didn't wait long to enter the world just 93 minutes into 2023. Santiago Alejandro Rios was born on January 1 at 1:33 a.m., weighing 4 pounds, 3.7 ounces, and measuring 17 inches long. He was born to Amelia Rios Loya and Francisco Lopez of San Jose, Calif. with Dr. Elisabeth Nigrini overseeing the delivery at Barton Memorial Hospital’s Family Birthing Center.

“I came up to Tahoe to visit family for the holidays, and when I started having contractions on Thursday, I was worried about my labor because I don’t live here and don’t know the area very well,” Rios Loya said. “Everyone was great! All the staff has been very friendly and kind and I’m so happy I delivered here!”

Santiago is Amelia's fourth child and the first one born at Barton; her three other children were born in San Jose and Sacramento. Amelia reflected on past birthing experiences, “when I had my other babies, I waited a very long time at the hospital. Here at Barton, I was seen immediately and it meant a lot to me.”

The family was presented with a wagon filled with gift items donated by local businesses and organizations valued at over $2,800. This ongoing tradition unites the community in celebrating the first baby of the New Year. Barton Health, Barton Pediatrics, Barton Performance, and Barton Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery contributed to the gift, and the team at Barton extends a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the many local merchants who contributed to the family’s gift: Bert's Cafe, Blue Dog Pizza, El Dorado Savings Bank, Elevated Fitness, Enchanted Florist, Grand Central Pizza, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Yoga, Lakeview Social/ AleWorx, Sandy Killian with Barton Auxiliary, South Lake Brewing Company, Tahoe Family Hearing Clinic, Tahoe Tot Spot, The Attic Thrift Store, The Cork & More, Tony & Shelley Piscitelli, and Toy Maniacs. Rios Loya chose to donate some of the gifts to the next local mother who has a baby at Barton.

In 2022, 287 babies were delivered at Barton Memorial Hospital’s Family Birthing Center.

Composed of registered nurses, lactation consultants, board-certified obstetricians and pediatricians, the Family Birthing Center offers families private suites for labor, delivery, and recovery. Barton is proud to have one of the lowest cesarean section birth rates in California and holds a Blue Distinction designation from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association for its proven history of delivering exceptional care and healthy outcomes for mothers and babies. Learn more at BartonHealth.org/FamilyBirthingCenter.