FARMINGTON — Isiah Norman Daku, the first baby born at Franklin Memorial Hospital in 2016, may be the first baby born this year in Maine.

FMH spokesperson Jill Gray said she is still waiting to hear from two of the state’s largest hospitals, Mercy Hospital and Maine Medical Center, before she can confirm it. On Saturday, Gray presented the family with several gifts from the hospital and area businesses for being the first baby born in the new year.

Parents Levi Daku and Meghan Bitterauf thought they would have a whole week to bond with their baby before Levi had to return to his job at Bath Iron Works. Isiah was due on Christmas Eve.

“It didn’t quite work out that way,” Meghan said.

Isiah was born at 12:46 a.m. on New Year’s Day. He weighed 9 pounds, 12.7 ounces. His paternal grandparents are Tom and Janice Daku of Farmington; maternal grandparents are Helmut and Mary Bitterauf, also of Farmington.

Meghan is a school counselor who works in the Cushing and Academy Hill schools in Wilton. She worked right up to the Christmas vacation but plans to wait until next fall to return to work.

“I will miss the kiddos, but am happy to have some time at home with this little guy,” she said Saturday morning.

Levi said the staff at FMH did an incredible job.

“It was the first time we’d been through the process,” he said.

Everyone was wonderful, Meghan said, adding that Isiah has a pretty mellow temperment. 

The couple was hoping to take Isiah home later on Saturday.

pharnden@sunmediagroup.net