SLO County’s first baby born in 2018 arrives at French Hospital

A new birthing center at French Hospital Medical Center welcomed the first baby born in San Luis Obispo County in 2018.

Olivia Faith Rivera was born at the Stollmeyer Family Birthing Center at 8:11 a.m. Monday to Jesus and Leanne Rivera of Grover Beach. The little girl weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces, and was 19 inches long.

The baby and mother were doing well Monday afternoon.

The Riveras expected Olivia to arrive Jan. 5 and were surprised when Leanne Rivera’s water broke shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day.

“It seems pretty surreal. We didn’t expect this at all,” Rivera said of having the first baby of the year.

“She’s healthy. Everybody was so nice. It was such a good experience. I don’t think anything could have gone better.”

Olivia is the first child for the couple, and the second for the mother. Nine-year-old Zach Lyons is excited to be a big brother.

“He wanted so bad to be here,” Rivera said.

In celebration, staff at the hospital presented the family with a gift basket of goodies and essentials.

The new birthing center opened its doors in May with eight private birthing suites, offering labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum services to patients all in the same place. Renovations began in 2015.

This story was originally published January 1, 2018 at 5:08 PM with the headline "SLO County’s first baby born in 2018 arrives at French Hospital."