New Year’s Day brought one more reason for Rachel and John “Jay” Howson IV to celebrate: their second child, John “Jack” Yates Howson V, was born at 7:55 a.m. January 1, 2019, at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital.
Rachel wasn’t due until Jan. 3, but woke up around 5 a.m. feeling uncomfortable, and shortly thereafter her water broke. The couple had been out late at a New Year’s Eve party and Jay admits he had only had a few hours of sleep when Rachel’s labor started. Since labor with their first child – 2-year-old sister Zelena – had lasted for 36 hours, the couple was surprised their second baby was coming so quickly.
“I was determined not to have him in the car” Rachel said. “The birth was totally natural, but not because we planned it that way.”
Rachel and Jay didn’t have to wait long to meet the newest addition to their family. Jack was born just two hours and 37 minutes after Rachel’s labor pains started. Rachel, a stay-at-home mom, and Jay, a physicist at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, didn’t know they were having a boy and were equally surprised to be welcoming him on New Year's Day.
“I noticed when we signed in that ours was the first name under 2019,” said Jay. Jack was the only baby born at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital on Jan. 1.
“He’s been getting a lot of attention,” said Rachel.
