Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center Welcomes First Oxnard Baby of 2021

Newborn makes his debut in the early morning of the New Year

OXNARD, CA – January 1, 2021 – Khalil Smith-Sims arrived just in time to become the first baby born in Oxnard in 2021 at St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC). Coming into the world at 4:33 a.m., the bundle of joy weighed in at 9 pounds and measured  20 1/2 inches long. 

Baby’s mother, Natalie Romo, and father Keagon Smith-Sims, are overjoyed about their unexpected New Year’s arrival. Khalil is the third baby for the proud parents, who also have two daughters. Both mom and baby are healthy and doing well. 

“Being pregnant during a pandemic has been an emotional journey. However, bringing my baby into the world on the first of the year fills me with joy and hope for the New Year,” said new mother Natalie Romo. “The labor and delivery team has been very good to my baby and me. The staff was phenomenal. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.” 

To celebrate and welcome this bundle of joy, SJRMC mother and infant nurses presented mom, dad, and baby with a beautiful gift basket filled with goodies and essentials for the sweet bundle of joy.

“We are overjoyed by the birth of the first SJRMC baby of the year,” said Shareen Taylor Bishop, Director of Labor and Delivery Services at SJRMC. “It's always special to have a family welcome a new baby on the first day of the year.

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. 

The new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) features 20 all private rooms, including two isolation rooms that can accommodate twins when adjoined. Private rooms allow one of the parents to stay overnight with their newborn while creating a more collaborative relationship between parents and care team. In addition, the unit includes a family lounge with a kitchenette and shower to ensure the comfort of the parents. 

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.

 

[PHOTOS: Left-Baby Khalil Smith-Sims being held by Baby’s mother, Natalie Romo, and father Keagon Smith-Sims; Right-Baby Khalil Smith-Sims being held by Baby’s mother, Natalie Romo and Nurses at St. John's Regional Medical Center.]

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About Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center
St. John’s Regional Medical Center is a 265-bed acute care, award-winning facility. Serving Ventura County for more than one hundred years, St. John’s is the first and only Certified Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center in Ventura County and a recipient of the American Heart Association’s, Get with the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. Designated as a STEMI Receiving Center, St. John’s is highly recognized in the community for excellence in cardiac care. Our Cancer Center is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, and our Integrated Breast Center is accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. SJRMC houses a comprehensive Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, providing specialized care to the tiniest patients as well as a Beacon Award-Winning Intensive Care Unit. Each hospital is supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to help meet the growing health care needs of our communities. Learn more at DignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional.