First baby of 2025 was in a hurry
Alana Lorraine Hassett was born early Thursday morning at St. Joe’s — more than three weeks before her due date
The first baby born in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley in 2025 wasn’t expected to make her debut so soon.
But at 12:08 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Alana Lorraine Hassett was born — more than three weeks before her due date of Jan. 27.
“We joked about: If she’s gonna come early, she better be the New Year’s baby,” said LeNae Hassett, Alana’s mother. “But we didn’t expect it to really happen.”
All is well. Alana weighs 6 pounds, 6 ounces and is 19 inches long. Alana, LeNae and husband/father Taylor Hassett were planning to spend Thursday night at the hospital, then return to their home in Clarkston today.
“She’s doing great,” LeNae said. “She’s just little.”
Alana is the couple’s second daughter, joining 3-year-old Aurora Hassett.
LeNae, 26, said Aurora was born during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the family wasn’t allowed to have visitors at the hospital. They enjoyed the calmness of that arrangement, so they also limited visitors Thursday and will wait until they return home to introduce Alana to her extended family.
There was no sign Alana was going to come early until LeNae’s water broke Wednesday afternoon. She called Taylor, 32, who had just gone to his job at Applebee’s in Lewiston, and the couple rushed to the hospital.
LeNae had recently worked at Starbucks in Clarkston, but doesn’t plan to return to that job. After a few months off, she will look for work in psychology; she recently got her degree in that field.
Both of the couple’s children were planned. They aren’t sure about adding a third child at this point, but “it’s not off the table either,” LaNae said.
Alana appears to be the first baby born in 2025 in the Quad Cities of Lewiston, Clarkston, Moscow and Pullman. And she was the first baby of the year at St. Joe’s, which delivered 572 babies in 2024, according to a hospital news release.
“Our team cannot imagine a better way to ring in the new year than by helping families like LaNae and Taylor welcome their precious newborn, Alana, into the world,” Rori Santana, director of Women’s and Children’s Services at St. Joe’s, said in the news release. “We are grateful to all the mothers, fathers, and families who allow our team of providers and nurses here at St. Joseph’s to participate in these significant and memorable life events of childbirth.”
Baney may be contacted at mbaney@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2251. Follow him on X @MattBaney_Trib.
