One of the region’s first babies of 2025 was born to a West Seattle couple before the new year was even an hour old! Providence Swedish shared the photo and announcement with WSB:
Mary and Bill Belcher of West Seattle welcomed their second child – an 8.54-pound, 20.5-inch-long baby boy, named Wilder Oak Belcher – at 12:47 a.m, which earned him the distinction of being the first baby born at Providence Swedish First Hill in 2025.
The arrival of Wilder was preceded by 6,231 births at the 114-year-old, nonprofit hospital in 2024.
The Belchers, who have been married for six years, are also parents of a two-year-old daughter named Willow, who was being cared for by her grandmother, Sharon, while Mary labored and delivered in the hospital. The family shared that Mary’s 60-minute labor went smoothly and included a minute between contractions, which allowed them to experience a memorable countdown to midnight with their Labor and Delivery caregivers. The couple added, “We’re overjoyed with the birth and excited to introduce Wilder to his big sister, Willow.”
On New Year’s Eve, USA TODAY reported, “Babies born in 2025, and for the 14 years following, will make up the newest generation, called Generation Beta. Members of Gen Beta, for short, will be the children of younger millennials and older Gen Zers and by 2035, they are estimated to make up at least 16% of the global population. Additionally, many Gen Beta members will likely live into the 22nd century. Babies born in 2025 will be 76 years old when the year 2101 comes around.”
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