New Year's Surprise: Middle Township Couple's Baby Comes Early

Somers Point’s Shore Medical Center’s New Year’s Baby was five and a half weeks early.

Jackson Robert Pitcock was born to Amanda and Louis Pitcock, of the Goshen section of Middle Township, at 5:08 p.m. on Jan. 1. He weighed 5 pounds, 7 ounces, and was 19.5” long.

The birth was unexpected, as Amanda Pitcock’s first baby, Selah, was carried to term, according to hospital officials.

When Amanda Pitcock began experiencing back pain earlier that morning, she thought it was Braxton Hicks contractions.

However, by late afternoon, her “back pain” became contractions just one minute apart.

The couple packed up and headed to the hospital around 4 p.m. Their son was born under 10 minutes after they arrived at the hospital.

“My water broke just as we left the house, so we were worried we were going to have the baby in the car on the side of the road. Luckily we made it to the hospital just in time,” Amanda Pitcock said.

Because he was born early, he will stay at Shore for a few more weeks. In the meantime, Amanda is traveling from Goshen to Somers Point several times a day for feedings and bonding with Jackson.

Louis Pitcock, a native of Zanesville, Ohio, was overjoyed to welcome his first son on New Year’s Day.

His favorite football team added to his joy that night when Ohio State defeated Alabama to advance to the national championship game of the College Football Playoff.

“He had his first son, and his Buckeyes won. It was definitely a good day for him,” Amanda said.

Shore Medical Center’s Maternity and Pediatrics Unit features separate, child-centric emergency and inpatient facilities.

St. Christopher’s Onsite Neonatal Partners provides onsite neonatology care, as well as staffing for Shore’s Pediatric Care Center.

For more information about Shore Medical Center, call 609-653-3500.

The attached image was provided by Shore Medical Center: Louis and Amanda Pitcock, of Goshen, NJ, hold their son, Jackson Robert, Shore Medical Center’s first baby of 2015. Jackson was born at 5:08 pm on January 1.