St. John’s Regional Medical Center Welcomes Five Leap Day Babies

OXNARD, CA – March 2, 2020 – The team at St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC), a  Dignity Health hospital, were leaping with joy as they welcomed five Leap Day babies into this world on Saturday, February 29–a date that only comes around every four years. 

The bundles of joy join a unique group of individuals who share a February 29th birthday and are lovingly known as “leaplings.” The five infants, including Axel Ayala and Nicholas Francisco Tapia, have been welcomed into the world by overjoyed families and nurses.

“Our baby’s due date was March 4th, but from the beginning, I knew that he would be a leapling, said Daisy Bravo, the proud mother of Axel A. Ayala, one of SJRMC’s Leap Year babies.

In celebration of their Leap Year birthday, our care team presented our leaplings with a quilt, graciously donated by a group of friends who were also born on a Leap Day.

“We get to witness miracles every day in Labor and Delivery, but today was an extra special day for us to celebrate with our leaplings and their parents,” said Shareen Taylor Bishop, Director of Labor and Delivery at St. John’s Regional Medical Center.

The Maternity and Birthing Center at SJRMC offers a loving start for every baby and loving care for every mom. Our private labor and delivery, and recovery suites are equipped with advanced equipment to ensure the safety of the mother and baby. Designated as a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), we are currently expanding to continue meeting the needs of our tiniest patients, provides highly specialized, family-centered care for newborns that require extra attention. 

SJRMC has obstetricians on-site 24/7, as well as highly trained labor, delivery, and pediatric nurses, to ensure that mothers and babies receive the highest level of care at all times. To learn more about the Maternity and Birthing Center at SJRMC and our expansion projects visit, dignityhealth.org/stjohnsregional.

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About Dignity Health - St. John’s Regional Medical Center
St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard is a recipient of the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence (2012-2015) and is rated among America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care for five consecutive years. St. John’s Regional Medical Center’s cardiac program offers effective treatment for heart disease as a STEMI Receiving Center, world-class clinical research trials, a certified primary stroke center, and recently became the first hospital in California to offer the world’s smallest leadless pacemaker for patients with bradycardia – slow heart rate. In addition, St. John’s was the first and only hospital in Ventura County to perform cryoablation, an innovative procedure to treat atrial fibrillation – a common heart rhythm disorder. St. John’s Cancer Program is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and offers a lung cancer program recognized as the only Center of Excellence in Ventura County. The 16-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. John’s provides family centered care for newborns requiring highly specialized attention. Learn more about other classes, events and support groups at DignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional/Classes-and-Events