Baby ‘Chosen’ Enters the World on New Year’s Day

“Chosen”, that’s the name of the first baby born for 2026 at the KHMH in Belize City. At seven pounds and five ounces, Chosen was born just after two p.m. to twenty-seven-year-old Cliffarah Ramos of Belize City. We paid the happy family a visit today. Britney Gordon reports.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

As Belizeans rang in the arrival of 2026 with celebrations across the country, one mother was marking the occasion in a very special way. Twenty-seven-year-old Cliffarah Ramos of Belize City welcomed her first child, a baby girl named Chosen, a birth she says is particularly special as she is the first girl to be born into her family in thirteen years.

 

Voice of: Cliffarah Ramos, Mother of New Year’s Baby

“I just happy, I mi nervous, but I just happy that my baby come healthy, strong, and we both okay. By the grace of God.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Is this your first baby?”

 

Voice of: Cliffarah Ramos

“Yes, she is.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Why did you pick the name chosen?”

 

Voice of: Cliffarah Ramos

“From ever since, even if da mi w a boy or a girl, I say my baby name mi ah be chosen. I just love the name. I mi always believe and I mi wa have kids.”

 

Today, baby chosen lays swaddled in her mother’s arms, sleeping peacefully. Ramos explained that that same peace was felt during her entire pregnancy as she was fortunate not to have any complications or sickness. She also expressed her gratitude to the team at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for the warm environment her baby was born into.

 

Voice of: Cliffarah Ramos

“KHMH always think they say bad or whatever, but every worker, doctor and nurses that deal with me was so sweet. Like I literally can’t complain. I da somebody weh shy and nervous with everything. But they mek I feel comfortable knowing my sister nor nobody neva deh with me doing surgery, some part of the room or whatever. But I mi feel comfortable with all of them.”

 

Ramos arrived at the hospital around six a.m. and was already dilated at three centimeters. According to Dr. Mikael Gilharry, the c-section that followed a few hours later went smoothly.

 

Dr. Mikael Gilharry, Medical Officer

“By twelve we realized that she wasn’t having any more dilations. However, her pains were intense. So we contacted Dr. Nicholas like around one p.m.  and we realized that she’s not progressing anymore, so we decided to take her in for a emergency c-section due to a failure to progress, and she delivered at two o’ three a healthy female neonate, seven and seven pounds, four ounces. And there were no complications with the surgery. Both mom and baby are fine.”

 

For over two decades, the arrival of Belize’s first babies of the year have been celebrated by Santiago Castillo Limited, which gifts the proud parents with diapers and wipes.

 

Aisha Trapp, Marketing Manager, Santiago Castillo Ltd.

“We are committed for the first a hundred days of the baby’s life to give her case of diaper and wipes. So that is the special offer that we are gonna give to the baby. And this is a really special one this year because it’s only one for KHMH, what we are also gonna do is we’re gonna find out if there was a first baby that was born in the rest of the public hospitals around the country, and we will also gift them the case of diaper and wipes.”

 

Baby Chosen was the only baby born at the KHMH that day, although she wasn’t due for another four days. Ramos says she is just happy that her little girl is finally here.

 

Voice of: Cliffarah Ramos

“Well me happy. I can’t even explain.  I just, this is everything I want. She right ya.”

 

And as the year came to an end, Belize Medical Associates welcomed baby Melissa Majano, born on December thirtieth, a reminder that even as 2025 closed, new life was just beginning. Britney Gordon for News Five.