By JOSH ZIMMER and CHRIS TISCH
Published January 2, 2004
In the battle for this year's First Baby honors in Tampa Bay, Tampa General Hospital claimed victory by mere seconds over the closest rival, at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater.
Demetric White, 24, gave birth to Zy'Kerriya Unique Williams - 19 inches long and 6 pounds, 7.4 ounces - at 16 seconds after midnight, attending physician Catherine Lynch said at an early afternoon news conference.
Doctors initially estimated the big moment at midnight and 30 seconds, which would have put Tampa General in a tie with the Clearwater arrival. But the figure was revised downward after rechecking the monitors, Lynch said.
Coming into the world only 14 seconds later was Lauren Rose Kavanagh - 20 inches and 7 pounds, 111/2 ounces. Pinellas' first baby of 2004 was being born as Dick Clark's countdown was playing on a nearby television.
"You heard, "10, 9, push, 8, 7, push,' " said David Kavanagh, the father.
In an annual rite she described as friendly competition between area hospitals, Lynch said the anticipation grew as White's labor progressed quickly.
"We certainly had an exciting evening last night," Lynch said. "When we started to realize we might have the New Year's baby, grandma and aunt started giving me some tips.
"You did an absolutely wonderful job of pushing," she said, turning to White and the baby.
Facing a line of cameras and reporters, White, 24, handled a couple of firsts with aplomb: her first baby and her first news conference. She was accompanied by Lynch and Antonio Williams, 24, the baby's father. Her grandmother, aunt, brother and the baby's godmother also were there.
The baby was wrapped in a yellow blanket that said: "First Baby of 2004."
"I never thought it would be such a big deal," White said.
White, a teacher's aide at Childlife Preschool of Tampa, said she never expected to give birth on New Year's Day. The original birth date, Christmas Day, came and went. She spent much of Wednesday visiting a friend who underwent a Caesarean section.
"As I left, I started having contractions ... and had to turn around," said White, smiling frequently at the baby and all the attention.
She went into labor about 7:30 p.m. but didn't start delivery until about 11:30 p.m., Lynch said.
The new mother hopes the eventful birth will have symbolic value for the baby, perhaps giving Zy'Kerriya an extra boost in life so "she'll grow up to be a success and what she wants to be."
Zy'Kerriya is "doing wonderfully well," said Lynch, who acknowledged a furious traffic of calls among local hospitals aiming for the prize. The last time she remembers Tampa General claiming the New Year's Baby was about six years ago.
In Pinellas County, Melissa Kavanagh was looking over the doctor's shoulder at a clock on the wall as the baby was born. Both hands were aimed at 12.
"It was really cool," she said Thursday. "I think we're still in shock. We can't believe it happened."
The official time of the birth was 30 seconds after midnight.
Kavanagh wasn't due until Jan. 13. She was picking up her first child, 4-year-old Thomas, at her parents' house when her water broke about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.
She rushed home, where her husband had been in the shower. They packed a few things and drove to the hospital.
Kavanagh, who was in labor 18 hours with her first child, started pushing just before midnight. Lauren Rose was born within five minutes.
The Kavanaghs say she appears to be a pretty laid-back kid.
"But when I was pregnant, she was a gymnast," Kavanagh said.
Dressed in a knit pink hat, purple pajamas and socks with rattles on the toes, Lauren Rose snoozed in her mother's arms at the hospital Thursday.
The Kavanaghs, both 31, have known each other since first grade. They attended school together at Oakhurst Elementary, Seminole Middle School, Seminole High School, St. Petersburg Junior College and Florida State University. The Seminole couple have been married six years.
"We don't remember when we met, but we assume it was on the playground," Melissa Kavanagh said.
The couple look forward to watching their daughter celebrate her birthday and New Year's at the same time. They said there is something special about having a newborn on New Year's Day.
"It's not like we tried to have the New Year's baby," Melissa Kavanagh said. "But there will always be a party on her birthday. She's going to be pretty lucky."
