Kirsten Larsen
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 06/98) - Stanton Regional hospital is traditionally a busy place on New Year's Eve and this year it was especially busy on the obstetrics ward.

Each year, new year's babies manage to occupy the medical and ward staff's time while New Year's Eve parties are raging on in the homes and residences in Yellowknife.

This year it was six pound, fourteen ounce, Brandy Lynn Koaha who couldn't wait to become part of the celebrations. She was born two weeks ahead of schedule at 6:45 a.m. Jan 1., and was also the first of the new year's babies to be born in the Northwest Territories this year.

She may have been a little late for the countdown, but she was following a family tradition passed down to her from both sides of her family.

Brandy's mother, Laurie Koaha from Cambridge bay phoned up her cousin James Aky on Jan. 1, with the good news that he now shares his new year's birthday with his new niece. Brandy also shares her birthday with her grandmother Jessie Kapolak from Bathurst Inlet, on her father's side of the family.

Brandy is only one of a long list of new year's babies born at Stanton Regional Hospital over the years. In the last 10 year's the birth closest to Koaha's was in 1991 when a birth occurred between midnight and 1 a.m.

In 1991, the first New Year's baby was born at 12:05 a.m., shortly after the count down for the new year. Jordyn Marie Broom was born to Patty and Allan Broom.

The hospital has recorded only two years between 1989 and 1999 when there have been no babies born on New Year's day.

New year's babies are treated extra special by the hospital, which sets aside a special package for them. The new year's baby each year is presented with all kinds of gifts ranging from blankets, clothes, diapers and a gift certificate from the hospital's tuck shop.

Brandy's mom was certainly surprised with all the attention her daughter was getting, but was even more surprised that Brandy was born so soon.

"I had pains two weeks before I was sent up (to Yellowknife)," said Koaha. "I was sent up the day after Christmas. The doctor was worried because my son (was born) one month early. This one went fast. I started getting pains at six in the morning and came to the hospital by cab. (Brandy) was born at 6:45. She came so soon."

Koaha said she didn't know the gender of her child before she was born, and that was the best surprise of all.

"I didn't ask," said Koaha. "I'm so happy she's a girl. I was hoping for that."