Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville welcomed its first baby of the New Year – Preston Zion Parsons – who was born in the Labor and Delivery unit at 7:55 a.m. on January 1, 2013.
Parsons is the first baby of the year born in Belleville and one of the first Newark residents born in 2013.
Parsons entered the world weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces and is 19 inches long. He was welcomed by proud parents Jorina Slocum-Parsons and Kirk Parsons, who reside in Newark.
Dr. Virginia Lay, an obstetrician/gynecologist, whose office is on the Clara Maass Medical Center campus, delivered the baby.
“It’s overwhelming,” said beaming mom Jarina Slocum-Parsons, who said she had a feeling she would deliver her son this week. She said she began having contractions during the afternoon of Dec. 31 and arrived at the hospital around 10 p.m. for her delivery.
Slocum-Parsons admitted she wasn’t really thinking about having the first baby of New Year, she was mainly focused on delivering her son, whose due date was January 12, 2013. He will come home to join older brothers Nagi, 15 and Kirk, 11, and big sister Mia, 8.
“They’re excited,” said Slocum-Parsons of her other children. “They want to know when we’re coming home.”
Slocum-Parsons praised the nursing staff in the Labor and Delivery Unit and said she had a positive experience at Clara Maass. Preston is her first child to be born at Clara Maass Medical Center.
“We’re pleased and proud to welcome this beautiful new baby into the world,” said Mary Ellen Clyne, Ph.D, President and CEO of Clara Maass Medical Center. “Our Medical Staff and Nursing Staff works hard to give each mother a positive and healthy experience during delivery and post-partum.”
Over 1,500 babies are born at Clara Maass Medical Center each year. The center has a Level II neonatal intenstive care unit and provides private post-partum rooms for mothers in addition to rooming-in for mothers and their children.
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