At this very family-oriented time of year, Echo Yoho and Annette Rhodes of Youngstown started a brand new family Friday with the birth of their daughter, Abriana, the first Mahoning County baby of

By Ed Runyan | January 2, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

First baby of 2016 born at St. Elizabeth Boardman hospital

BOARDMAN

At this very family-oriented time of year, Echo Yoho and Annette Rhodes of Youngstown started a brand-new family Friday with the birth of their daughter, Abriana, the first Mahoning County baby of 2016.

She was born at 9:26 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital.

But Annette says her relationship with Abriana began before the first time she held her in her arms because Abriana has shown a playful yet shy personality for months.

At an ultrasound appointment, when the technician tapped Annette’s belly, Abriana tapped back, Annette said. At other times, she was shy, because she seemed to be moving away when medical personnel were checking on her, she said.

For a couple having their first baby and not knowing what to expect, the process went remarkably well, they said.

Annette woke up at 7 a.m., and her water broke 15 minutes later, causing her and Echo to get ready and head for the hospital.

“When my water broke, I said, ‘I think my water just broke,’” though she didn’t have any contractions yet, so she wasn’t sure. The contractions started before they got to the hospital at 8 a.m.

“I only had to push about 15 minutes or so,” Annette said. “It went a lot better than I expected.”

“She only let out one shriek,” Echo added.

“First babies don’t usually go that fast,” agreed Amanda Linton, a labor-and-delivery nurse.

Annette was planning to be anesthetized for the birth, but there wasn’t time for that because she dilated so quickly.

“I’m just happy she decided to get it over with,” Annette said of Abriana. “I got incredibly lucky. She knew what she was doing. I was the only one who was clueless.”

“You? I was like, ‘Your what broke?’” Echo said.

The couple says Abriana wasn’t planned, so having her on New Year’s Day also wasn’t planned.

“I thought it was a possibility,” Annette said of having the first New Year’s baby. “But I thought she would wait at least four more days. I thought she would wait until her doctor got back,” Annette said.

“I don’t believe it would have worked out that way if we had tried,” Echo said.

Coincidentally, it’s the second New Year’s Baby in the Yoho family. Echo said his younger brother, Robbie, 13, was the first baby born in Alliance Community Hospital in Stark County on New Year’s Day 2003.

Meanwhile, the first babies born in Trumbull County as reported to The Vindicator were Gianna Bellino, born to Stephanie Renier of Brookfield at 8:24 p.m. at St. Joseph Warren Hospital. St. Joe’s is the only Trumbull hospital that reports the name of the first-born New Year’s baby.

Soon afterward, at 9:03 p.m., Priscilla Ann Marie Hodge-Chipps, was born at St. Joe’s to Miranda Hodge and Ralph Chipps of Niles.