MILWAUKEE — A few families around Milwaukee County-area rang in the New Year with a new addition.
The Ekvall family from West Allis had the first baby of the New Year in Milwaukee County and the Madison family from Delavan had the first twins of the year in Milwaukee County.
The Ekvalls say they were a little rushed getting to the hospital. Mom, Marijana Ekvall thought she had more time so she waited at home on New Year’s Eve when went into labor. Then there was a dash to the hospital.
“I felt like, oh this baby is coming. I made Michael run a red light to get us here,” said Marijana Ekvall.
Genevieve arrived less than an hour after they got in the hospital doors at 12:41 a.m.
"There was no time to do anything. They couldn’t even get an IV in or anything. It was just go time,” said Michael Ekvall, father of Genevieve.
Meanwhile, the Madison twins, Willow and Luna, arrived just after 2 a.m. And like most things during the pandemic giving birth looks different.
Moms have to mask up in labor.
“She was worried about breathing, wearing a mask during labor. And she crushed it,” said Robert Madison.
There is a bit of a baby boom underway in certain parts of the country. According to NBC News, births are up between 2 to 8 percent. The increase is mainly in places that had Stay at Home Orders.
If you remember, Wisconsin’s Safer at Home Order went into effect at the end of March and we are now nine months from that. Both sets of parents say the pandemic was not going to stop them from expanding their families.
“It didn’t matter,” said Robert Madison. “What’s there to wait for, it’s life.”
“You kind of just have to go with the flow,” said Katie Jo Manka.
“We feel fortunate that we get to bring a happy, healthy little girl into the world,” said Marijana Ekvall.
The Ekvall family is now a family of 4. And the Madison family is now a family of 7.
