Poplar Bluff sees first baby of new year, decade

The first baby of 2020, Jonah Lee Tucker, was born at 1:47 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff.

Jonah weighted 7 pounds and 13 ounces. His length is 21 inches. Not only was he the first baby of the year, he’s the first baby of a new decade.

Jonah’s parents are Jeven and Kelly Tucker of Bernie.

Jonah Tucker yawns as he spends his first days with his mother and father. DAR/Paul Davis

Jeven, 25, is a farmer and Kelly, 22, works at a day care. Jonah will not be able to accompany mom to work until he’s 6 months old.

Being the father of the first baby of the year is “really kind of unexplainable. It is a feeling you cannot describe,” Jeven said. “We wanted to be; we were trying.”

Kelly was “pretty excited,” too.

New mother Kelly Tucker embraces her son, Jonah Lee Tucker, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. DAR/Paul Davis

They were told earlier in the pregnancy, they might be in the running for the first baby of the new decade.

When she went to her doctor at 39 weeks, Kelly said, “I didn’t care at that point,” admitting being induced was fine with her, and apparently Jonah agreed.

When she was ready to deliver, Dr. John Patty had time to get from his home to the hospital.

Kelly Tucker snuggles with her son, Jonah Tucker, who was the first baby of 2020 and the decade at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. DAR/Paul Davis

“When it came to pushing, I wasn’t in there long. I did three sets of 10 pushes and the baby was born,” Kelly said.

Grandparents are Stella and Daele Krietter of Puxico, Junior Tucker and Angelina and Royce Champion, all of Bernie.

Kelly is especially grateful to her sister-in-law, Didi Frazier of Bernie, who “supported me by giving me advice; my photographer Jessica Phillips of Bloomfield, who photographed the delivery; and my mom, who stayed with me after the delivery.”

The hospital gave the couple a gift basket and diapers.

During 2019, there were 1,500 babies born at PBRMC, which included one set of triplets and several sets of twins.