The first babies of 2025 arrive in Salinas
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) -- This new year welcomes new babies to the Central Coast.
Salinas Valley Health announced the arrival of four babies in the wee hours of New Year's Day 2025.
The four newborns came at 12:47 a.m., 1:06 a.m., 2:28 a.m. and 6:34 a.m., respectively, all before many people were even getting out of bed.
“We thought we were going to have a Christmas baby and instead rang in the New Year with more excitement than we expected and in a very memorable way,” says Yvette Ochoa Alderete, first-time mother of the first child born, son Xayden. “Having Xayden is an incredible start to 2025.”
Following little Xayden, a second baby named Kaylee Avalos-Ackerman arrived. But unlike Xayden, Kaylee came one week early.
“We were celebrating New Year's at my family's house, so we were just hanging out, having a great time," said three-time father Mark Avalos-Lopez. "And then all of a sudden it's just like, I think my water broke and now what do we do? We have to go home.”
In 2024, Salinas Valley Health welcomed 1,406 newborns. And in 2025, the hospital has been named Best Hospital for Maternity Care from U.S. News and World Report.
“Most of my years have been spent in critical care,” said Ruthie Andrews, MSN, RN at Salinas Valley Health for 38 years. “Ringing in the New Year with these families is filled with such joy and gives us hope for many more blessings in the year ahead. It’s an honor to share this extraordinary occasion with them.”
