Lehigh Acres resident Taja Miles, 23, gave birth to her daughter, Jah’naria Miles, at 12:45 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Gulf Coast Medical Hospital in Fort Myers. Jah’naria was the first baby born in 2012 in Lee County. She is the fourth child of Miles and the 35th grandchild in the Miles family.

As Southwest Florida celebrated the stroke of midnight Saturday, a pregnant Taja Miles was in the back of an ambulance, her contractions only two minutes apart.

The paramedic, not wanting to deliver a baby in the ambulance, implored her to hold on for the 20-minute ride from her Lehigh Acres home to Gulf Coast Medical Hospital.

“He kind of got scared. They’re were saying to the driver, ‘Just fly there. Just go,'” Miles said. “He was just panicking, saying, ‘Just whatever you do, please don’t push. The doctor is waiting.”

Miles made it to the hospital with moments to spare, her contractions now a minute apart. She only had to push three times, and at 12:45 a.m., Miles gave birth to a 6-pound, 9-ounce baby girl named Jah’naria, believed to be the first newborn of 2012 in Lee County. Hospital staff at NCH North Naples Hospital and Physicians Regional-Collier reported no babies born in 2012 as of Sunday afternoon.

Just as Miles, 23, made it to the south Fort Myers delivery room on time, so did Jah’naria, whose due date was Jan. 1. Jah’naria broke from family tradition – Miles’ three other children had all been born either two weeks before or after their due dates.

“It’s kind of cool because I’ve never really had one the day it was due,” Miles said.

Sunday afternoon, about 12 hours after giving birth, Miles held the newborn, dressed from head-to-toe in a pink outfit, with a full head of hair, struggling to open her eyes for guests.

“She’s been a good baby so far, just sleeping,” Miles said. “Hopefully she’ll keep doing that when I get home.”

Jah’naria joins a large family with deep roots in Southwest Florida. Miles’ mother had eight children, with Jah’naria becoming the 35th grandchild. The latest addition’s middle name – Elaine – is the same as the first name of her grandmother, who died two years ago. Jah’naria’s first name was crafted by her aunt and godmother, Miles said.

Jah’naria will be welcomed home, likely Tuesday, by her two older brothers, 7-year-old Jabaria and 4-year-old Zicaria, and her 3-year-old sister Tageria. The three siblings all pitched in during the pregnancy, with Jabaria helping pack his mother’s bags and organize the newborn’s room.

“They’re so excited. They keep telling my little one, ‘You’re not going to be the baby anymore,” Miles said.

Gulf Coast Medical Center delivers about three babies per day, with an average of about 15 born per day across Lee Memorial Health System’s three delivery wings. The second baby delivered in Lee County came at about 2:30 a.m., hospital spokeswoman Mary Briggs said.

The late night seemed to affect daughter more than mother for the Miles’ – Jah’naria was still asleep about 12 hours after birth.

“A bundle of joy,” Jah’naria’s aunt, Latoya Miles, said. “And she hasn’t even woken up yet.”

The first baby of the new year in Collier County made his appearance much later in the day. The boy was born at NCH North Naples Hospital at 5:42 p.m. His name was not immediately available Sunday night.

CAPTION FOR PHOTO AT RIGHT:

Lehigh Acres resident Taja Miles, 23, gave birth to her daughter, Jah’naria Miles, at 12:45 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Gulf Coast Medical Hospital in Fort Myers. Jah’naria was the first baby born in 2012 in Lee County. She is the fourth child of Miles and the 35th grandchild in the Miles family.

Photo by Lexey Swall