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Oh baby! Jump in January births keeps TMH doctors busy

Lauren Blair
Makayla Camilletti holds her baby girl, Madison Shane Camilletti, who was Moffat County's first baby of the year, born on Jan. 1.
Noelle Leavitt Riley

January was a banner month for babies at The Memorial Hospital in Craig. As of Thursday, the headcount for babies born in the hospital’s birthing center was 15.

With only three babies born in January of last year, this equates to a 500 percent bump in births.

“I think we delivered more babies in the first week of January than we did during the whole month last year,” TMH obstetrician Scott Ellis, D.O., said. “Our numbers are definitely up significantly.”



Fifteen was in fact the record last year for number of babies born in a single month at TMH, which took place in last February. The total for 2014 was 131, a number, which the hospital is on track to easily outpace in 2015.

“I honestly expect to blow that out of the water this year,” Ellis said. “I would love to be doing 200 deliveries a year here at TMH, and I think we should be. It just seems like things are really coming together nicely for obstetrics services. … The nursing staff, they do a good job and the facility is great. I think word is getting around and people are coming here to use our services.”



The month got off to an auspicious start with the birth of New Year’s baby Madison Shane Camilletti on Jan. 1. Madison had to be airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction due to various complications, however she is now healthy and home with mother, Makayla Camilletti.

“It was pretty crazy. We weren’t expecting her to come on the first, so it was quite the surprise actually,” Camilletti said. “She is quite the little blessing, for sure.”

The busiest day of the month, Jan. 13, saw the births of four babies at the hospital.

“It’s been fun that it’s busy, and I’m so grateful when they’re all healthy,” said family physician Elise Sullivan, M.D.

Sullivan joins Ellis and James Summers, D.O. on the obstetrics team; she delivered one of the babies born this month and serves as pediatrician to two of them.

“It is just like one of the most profound moments,” Sullivan said. “There really is nothing more meaningful and special than having a baby. I love whoever is in the room supporting the mom, whether it is grandma or dad, they just tear up and get misty-eyed the moment the baby is born and cries.”

Both Ellis and Sullivan were pleased with the busy schedule this month.

“Birthing babies is fun and if I get a little less sleep this year to do more deliveries in Moffat County, then I’m happy to do that,” Ellis said.

Contact Lauren Blair at 970-875-1794 or lblair@CraigDailyPress.com.


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