Hackensack Meridian Health Welcomes First Baby of 2018

Hackensack Meridian Health is proud to announce its first baby of 2018 was born at the Donna A. Sanzari Women's Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center. Micayla Araujo came into the world at 12:03 a.m. weighing five pounds 11 ounces and measuring 18" in length. She is also the first baby to be born in Bergen County on New Year's Day. Micayla is the first daughter of Manny Araujo and Lainne Afonso, who live in Kearny. The couple has one son, seven year old Jonathan, who is proud to welcome his little sister into the family.

"We're ecstatic that our daughter is the first baby to be born at Hackensack University Medical Center in 2018," said Lainne Afonso, Micayla's mother. "I feel good and our baby is good. Micayla is the new light for the New Year. We feel very fortunate and are overjoyed that her birthday will always be so special."

Micayla was due to be born on January 8. But, at 4 a.m. on December 31, Lainne began having contractions. Her water broke at 8 p.m. and that's when she and Manny headed to the hospital. Micayla was delivered naturally by Meryl Kahan, M.D., attending physician at the Donna A. Sanzari Women's Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center. Both mother and daughter are doing well. The family is relieved they did not travel to Freehold as planned to visit relatives for New Year's Eve.

"We are so proud of our new baby and the fact that she was born on New Year's Day," said Manny Araujo, Micayla's father. "It's a sign that good things will happen for her and this is definitely the best way to start the New Year."

About Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center

Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center, a 775-bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital located in Bergen County, NJ, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state. Founded in 1888 as the county's first hospital, it is now part of one of the largest networks in the state comprised of 28,000 team members and more than 6,000 physicians. Hackensack University Medical Center was listed as the number one hospital in New Jersey in U.S. News & World Report's 2017-18 Best Hospital rankings - maintaining its place atop the NJ rankings since the rating system was introduced. It was also named one of the top four New York Metro Area hospitals. Hackensack University Medical Center is one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more years in a row. Becker's Hospital Review recognized Hackensack University Medical Center as one of the 100 Great Hospitals in America 2017. The medical center is one of the top 25 green hospitals in the country according to Practice Greenhealth, and received 23 Gold Seals of Approval™ by The Joint Commission – more than any other hospital in the country. It was the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation to become a Magnet® recognized hospital for nursing excellence; receiving its fifth consecutive designation in 2014. Hackensack University Medical Center has created an entire campus of award-winning care, including: the John Theurer Cancer Center; the Heart & Vascular Hospital; and the Sarkis and Siran Gabrellian Women's and Children's Pavilion, which houses the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital and Donna A. Sanzari Women's Hospital, which was designed with The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center and listed on the Green Guide's list of Top 10 Green Hospitals in the U.S. Hackensack University Medical Center is the Hometown Hospital of the New York Giants and the New York Red Bulls and is Official Medical Services Provider to The Northern Trust PGA Golf Tournament. It remains committed to its community through fundraising and community events especially the Tackle Kids Cancer Campaign providing much needed research at the Children's Cancer Institute housed at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital. To learn more, visit www.HackensackUMC.org.