Morris Hospital Announces First Baby of 2026
January 2, 2026, MORRIS, IL – Morris Hospital’s first baby of 2026 arrived two hours into the New Year. Baby girl Millie Ruth Pflibsen was born January 1, 2026, at 2:06 a.m. She is the daughter of Sydney Partridge and Auston Pflibsen.
Delivered by Morris Hospital obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Andrea Chen, baby girl Millie weighed 8 lbs., 2 oz., and measured 20.5 inches in length.
Baby Millie began her journey to become Grundy County’s first baby of 2026 early on New Years Eve. Her parents arrived at Morris Hospital at 5 a.m. on December 31 waiting for their daughter to be born. After nearly 21 hours of labor, baby Millie was born to her parents’ delight.
Partridge says that besides the long labor, the experience as a whole was very smooth. “I had a good experience while giving birth at Morris Hospital. Everything went smoothly, and everyone was so helpful throughout the entire process.”
As Grundy County’s first baby of 2026, baby Millie was showered with gifts organized through the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce, including gift baskets from American Commercial Bank & Trust, Creative Treasures, Pregnancy Resource Center, and the United Way of Grundy County. Gifts also included a gift certificate from Channahon Lanes and Mini Golf; baby bibs, diapers, and sunglasses from Grundy Bank; a Grundy Chamber of Commerce gift certificate; a blanket and onesie from Joliet Junior College; a handmade afghan, baby hat, serenity bear, collage picture frame, teddy bear, and engraved spoon from Morris Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop; baby books from the Morris Library; one month of membership from the Morris Hospital YMCA and baby bib; baby toys and clothes from Roots Hair Studio; and free acupuncture session from Three Wells Acupuncture Clinic.
Morris Hospital is designated as a Level II perinatal care provider by the Illinois Department of Public Health and a Birthing-Friendly Hospital by the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2025, 572 babies were born at Morris Hospital.
