New Year?s Baby makes debut Jan. 10

A rural Jefferson County couple brought the county?s New Year?s baby home Thursday.

Magnus Saxon, son of Marcus and Shanti Chatfield, was born at 3:15 a.m. Tuesday in University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. This first-born weighed 7 pounds, 1.7 ounces and is 20 inches long. He is the grandson of Larry and BB Rail of Fairfield and Erwin Chatfield of Tularosa, N.M., and Vivian Smith of Mountain Home, Idaho.

?We chose Magnus, because it means ?great man,? and has a Roman sound to it, like my name does,? said the new dad. ?And Saxon, means ?swordsman.? I?m a classically trained fencer and practice martial arts. So, we gave our son a strong sounding name, something to live up to and aspire to.?

Magnus was born on his due date, Jan. 10, but the Chatfields were made aware of the New Year?s Baby designation coordinated by The Ledger after his birth.

?Someone told us about it after he was born, and my mother-in-law called The Ledger from the hospital for us,? said Chatfield.

?I was with Shanti the whole time during labor and delivery. She was in labor for 25 hours. It was quite an experience. She went all-natural, and I really admire that. I would have given up in the first few hours and demanded an epidural or C-section or something,? he said.

The couple chose the university hospital because it offers midwife birthing.

?Ideally, we would have liked a home-birth, but we couldn?t afford midwives on our own,? said Chatfield. ?The university offers an all-natural experience with R.N. midwives. The rooms are very nice and include a Jacuzzi. Of course, there?s medical assistance nearby if that?s needed, too.?

He said they took a birthing class and infant CPR training prior to their baby?s birth.

Today, the young family stopped at The Ledger, collecting a baby quilt donated by the Jefferson County Health Center and a letter naming the Chatfields as the official family of the New Year?s Baby. The letter specifies where to collect gifts totaling more than $400 from businesses and merchants around Fairfield.

June Irene Lebert, the daughter of Meagan and Christopher Lebert of Fairfield, was born early on New Year?s Day, 2011, at the Ottumwa Regional Health Center in Ottumwa. The 6-pound, 8-ounce, 19.75-inch baby was the third child for the couple.

Jefferson County?s 2010 New Year?s baby was Abbigail Elizabeth Beggs, the daughter of Melissa Beggs of Fairfield and Thomas Batterson. The 9-pounds, 14-ounces baby was born at 12:14 p.m. Jan. 13 at Ottumwa Regional Health Center.

The 2009 New Year?s baby was Addisyn Ann Koontz, the daughter of Stacia Verrips and Shane Koontz of Libertyville. She was born at 1:15 a.m. Jan. 4 at Ottumwa Regional Health Center and weighed 7 pounds, 10.5 ounces.

The 2008 New Year?s baby was Serenity Maurine Pisano, the daughter of Brenda and Jim Pisano of Pleasant Plain. The 6-pounds, 15-ounce, baby was born at 4:23 p.m. Jan. 9 at Ottumwa Regional Health Center.

In 2007, the New Year?s baby was Anthony Joseph Smithburg, the 9-pound, 9-ounce son of Megan and Erik Smithburg of Libertyville, born by cesarean section at 11:51 a.m. Jan. 4 at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

The 2006 New Year?s baby was Briana Lynn Steele, the daughter of Carrie and Jason Steele of Fairfield, born at 11:18 p.m. Jan. 4 at Ottumwa Regional Health Center.

Collin Jeffery Putnam, the son of Tonya and Ahrim ?Strider? Putnam of Fairfield, made his way into the world at 11:14 a.m. Jan. 1 at Ottumwa Regional Health Center becoming Jefferson County?s 2005 New Year?s baby.

It was the 2004 New Year?s baby who stretched the wait out for two weeks. Caden Albert Septer, the son of Brandy and Chad Septer of Fairfield, was born at 9:15 p.m. Jan. 14 at Ottumwa Regional Health.