CoxHealth welcomes first babies of 2015

Update: A fourth baby girl, born at Cox Monett January 6, can claim the title as New Year's baby of 2015 at CoxHealth. She joins twin girls born at Cox South New Year's Day and a baby girl born January 2 at Cox Branson as the first babies to arrive at CoxHealth's three birthing hospitals this year.

First baby born in 2015 at Cox Monett Hospital is a girl

The wait is over for the first baby to be born in 2015 at Cox Monett Hospital. Timberley Lynn Nelson decided it was time to make her arrival on Jan. 6 at 11:56 p.m. She weighs 6 lbs., 3 oz., and is 20.5 inches long. Her parents are Shane and Racheal Nelson of Aurora. The couple also has a 3 year-old son named Kaden.

“The nursing staff and the physicians have gone above and beyond,” says Racheal Nelson. “Our stay here has been fantastic—I loved it.”

To celebrate the occasion, the Cox Monett Auxiliary presented a basket to the family filled with a piggy bank, pacifier, stuffed animal, bib and other items.


Twin girls are first Springfield births of 2015

Three baby girls claim the title as New Year's baby of 2015, twin girls born at Cox South New Year's Day and a baby girl born January 2 at Cox Branson.

The first birth at a CoxHealth birthing hospital came in the way of twin girls at Cox Medical Center South. Hadley Swearngin-Powers was born at 4:31 a.m., weighing 2 lbs., 13 oz. and 15 inches long. Hensley Swearngin-Powers was born at 4:37 a.m., weighing 3 lbs., 3 oz. and 15 inches long.

Hensley Swearngin-Powers

Hensley Swearngin-Powers

Hadley Swearngin-Powers

Both babies are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Cox South. They were born at 29 weeks, with a due date of March 14, 2015 and are both doing well.

Their parents Mary Swearngin, 25 and Nate Powers, 31 of Ozark were visiting family in West Plains when Mary went into labor Saturday, December 27. “We were just watching a movie,” says Nate Powers. “And she started having contractions.” She was transported from the West Plains hospital via ambulance to Cox South.

For the past five days doctors did what they could to hold off the pre-term labor. “They said the girls were ready,” explains Mary Swearngin. “So, they took me off the drugs keeping me from going into labor. I went into labor within a few hours. It went fast.”

Between Mary and Nate, the couple has three other daughters ages 3, 5, and 7. “We officially have a basketball team,” laughs Mary. “I know they’re excited to get to see them, but they’ll have to wait a little longer.”

CoxHealth presented a basket with stuffed animals, clothes and other items to celebrate the first birth of 2015.

(photographed: holding basket – Nate Powers, Mary Swearngin, Mandy Dewitt, RN, Cox Medical Center South)

First baby born in 2015 at Cox Medical Center Branson is a girl

Emmalyn (pronounced Emma-LYNN) Rebecca Marshall was due January 3, but decided after the fanfare of New Year’s Eve to have the first day of the year as her birthday. 

Emmalyn was born at Cox Medical Center Branson, January 1 at 1:30 p.m. She weighs 6 lbs., 8 oz., and is 18.5 inches long. Her parents are Erica, 33 and Rob Marshall, 35 of Branson. The couple also has a 3 year-old son named Eli. 

“We had stayed up until midnight to ring in the New Year,” says Erica Marshall. “So, we only had a few hours of sleep when I started having contractions at 3 a.m. We came to the hospital at 9 a.m. and within a few hours she was here.” 

“The nurses have been amazing,” explains Rob Marshall. 

“I had a natural birth,” says Erica. “And the nurses here were all so supportive and encouraging.”