New Year’s Day brought an extra reason to celebrate at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center — the hospital welcomed its first baby of 2026 early Thursday morning.

Baby Wrenleigh Ann Pierce arrived at 4 a.m. on Jan. 1, weighing 7 pounds, 1.2 ounces and measuring 19 inches long. Her parents, Jessica Dale and Matthew Pierce, said they were thrilled to welcome their daughter — their first child — as the new year began.

Atrium Health Floyd delivers more than 2,000 babies each year, and leaders say the first birth of the year is a milestone staff members always look forward to.

“We’re deeply honored by the trust families place in us during life’s most special moments,” said Amy Forsyth, the hospital’s labor and delivery nurse manager. “Welcoming the first baby of the year is always a fun and special milestone for our team.”

The medical center has also received national recognition for maternity care. Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center is one of 25 Advocate Health hospitals named by U.S. News & World Report as “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care,” earning a “high performing” rating, the top designation on the list. The hospital has also been designated a “Maternity Care Access Hospital” for providing quality care in communities where maternity services may be limited.

Families and staff continued celebrating the New Year’s arrival on Friday, Jan. 2, as the hospital’s labor and delivery team began another year of helping welcome new life into the community.