New Year baby’s parents awake at all hours except midnight
Nick and Haley Sutton were asleep when the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve, but midnight was a moment of rest from what they endured throughout the day and what was soon to come New Year’s Day.
After returning from a 5 a.m. trip to Butler Memorial Hospital in the morning Saturday, Dec. 31, the couple would find themselves back in the delivery unit by around 5 p.m. that evening. After a total of 36 hours in labor and more than three-and-a-half hours of pushing, their new year baby, Wren Marie Sutton, arrived before her due date.
“Her due date was Jan. 2, so she did end up coming early. We kind of had a feeling that she might be coming a day early,” Nick Sutton said. “We didn't see the ball drop or anything ... that was far back in our minds.”
Wren arrived at 2:36 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, weighing in at 7 pounds and 11 ounces at a length of 19 inches. She is Nick and Haley Sutton’s first child.
Nick Sutton said he and Haley went to the hospital at around 5 a.m. New Year’s Eve, but were released by around 7:30 a.m. because Haley was not yet far enough along in the birthing process. The Evans City couple returned to the hospital around 5 p.m., when Haley’s contractions were becoming more and more severe.
Nick Sutton said the couple was not upset to be spending New Year’s Eve by themselves in the delivery unit.
“We were the only ones on the labor floor, so it was really nice because we had all the support of the nurses,” he said. “They were able to do an amazing job, and we're really grateful for the team of nurses.”
According to Nick Sutton, Wren’s name was inspired by a home design show Haley enjoys. The host of the show’s daughter is named Wren, which Nick said was a name they could both agree on.
On Monday, the Suttons were still recovering at Butler Memorial Hospital, which is also where they took several prenatal and birthing classes to prepare for their first baby. Nick said the couple had been preparing throughout Haley’s entire pregnancy by learning about newborn care through classes, books and videos.
Armed with that knowledge and a New Year’s Eve they will never forget, Nick Sutton said he and Haley are ready to take Wren home for what will likely be an equally memorable 2023.
“Right now we got some more rest, so we're more clear-headed,” he said Monday afternoon. “You're just happy to finally see her after nine months and you get to hold her.”
