At the stroke of midnight, a nurse gave birth to what is believed to be the first 2023 baby born in San Diego.
Baby Mila was born at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital to Dulce Robles and Michael Koesterer, according to Jennifer Chatfield, Director of Internal & External Communications at Sharp HealthCare.
While Koesterer could not confirm Mila was the first baby born in San Diego County, NBC 7 checked with other area hospitals and could not find a baby born earlier.
The mother, Dulce Koesterer, also just so happens to be a labor and delivery nurse at Sharp Grossmont Hospital.
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How has the first night of 2023 been for them?
"Sleepless," Dulce Koesterer said. "It's been exciting, but exhausting as well," she added.
"But worth it," Michael Koesterer added.
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The baby was expected on Jan. 4.
"This just kind of happened and we kind of just went with it and hoped that we could get it on exactly midnight, and it just happened to be," Michael Koesterer said.
What do they get for giving birth to a baby on the new year?
"Bragging rights," Dulce Robles said, laughing.
As folks celebrated the new year, so did those working at the hospital. Staff gave the parents a bigger room, complete with New Year's decorations and apple cider.
After welcoming Mila, both parents said they were excited and overwhelmed with happiness and pure joy. Mila is the Koesterers' second child. They have another child who is almost 15 years old.
Only being several hours old, little Mila has already shown off some of her personality.
"I keep saying she's like her dad — everything," Dulce Koesterer said.
"So in other words — amazing," Michael Koesterer added.
