Thomas John McKeon is the first child born in 2014 at St. Anthony Community Hospital

WARWICK — It hasn’t happened since 2007 that no babies were born at St. Anthony Community Hospital on New Year’s Day.

So when Thomas John arrived at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 3, his parents, John and Regina McKeon of the Village of Florida were surprised to learn that their 8-lbs. 9-oz. son had the honor of being the first baby born at the hospital’s Kennedy Birthing Center in 2014.

Obstetrician Stanislaw T. Landau was the attending physician; the doctor was assisted by nurses Cindy Pascal and Mary Pat Swenson.

The Kennedy Birthing Center, however, was not a new experience for the McKeons. Their daughter Emma was born there three years ago.

“It’s great here,” said Regina McKeon. “We love it. And all the nurses and staff are wonderful.”

The national award-winning Kennedy Birthing Center is a state-of-the-art maternity units. With single birthing suites, the center was built to cater to family needs, providing homelike surroundings for a more natural labor, delivery and recovery, all in one location.

The center also provides a C-Section Suite, a large nursery and several gynecological rooms.