New Year, New Life: Welcoming Stanford Medicine Children’s Health First Baby of 2026!

A Joyous Start to the New Year as Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Celebrates the Birth of Felipe Lopez-Hernandez

First-time parent, Lesly Hernandez-Rodriguez and her son, Felipe Lopez-Hernandez.

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, the core of the Stanford Medicine Children’s Health network, rang in 2026 with a heartwarming moment — welcoming the first baby of the New Year on Thursday morning at 5:35 a.m.

First-time parents, Lesly Hernandez-Rodriguez and Jesus Lopez, from East Palo Alto, joyfully welcomed in their son, Felipe Lopez-Hernandez, weighing in at six and half pounds, on New Year’s Day. Baby Felipe is not only their first child but also the first grandchild of their family, and the start of a new generation.

“He surprised us. We weren’t expecting him for a few more days! I came in for a routine check-up, and the next thing I knew, I was told I was going to deliver today,” said Lesly. “It’s a wonderful way to start the new year, with the birth of our first child.”

In 2025, there were over 5,000 total births at Packard Children’s. On the days surrounding the New Year, there were 12 babies born on December 31st and 5 born on January 1st, adding to the joyous atmosphere and marking a special time for many families. On average, the hospital delivers nearly a dozen babies each day, nearly 100 births per week.

Packard Children’s is exclusively dedicated to caring for expectant mothers and children, and is ranked as one of the top children’s hospital in the nation and as a “High Performing” hospital for maternity care by U.S. News & World Report.