POCATELLO — At 6:29 a.m. on New Year’s Day, Portneuf Medical Center’s first baby of 2026 made his first appearance in the world.

The baby’s name is Cole Todd Cantrell, according to a news release from PMC. He is the firstborn child of proud parents Jared and Morgan Cantrell of Pocatello. Cole arrived weighing 7 pounds 7 ounces and is about 20.5 inches long.

Cole was born a few days before his due date. During the pregnancy, his parents had decided to wait until his arrival to learn his gender.

“My first reaction was surprise when they told me our baby was a boy,” Morgan said in the news release. “When they told us he was the New Year’s baby, I was surprised because I hadn’t really thought about it.”

Cole’s birth was described by his parents as a whirlwind. They arrived at PMC around 1 a.m. Thursday and he was born a little over five hours later.

“Having him here is incredible,” Morgan said in the news release. “We’re just taking it in. He’s already a happy baby.”

Recognizing the New Year’s baby is a beloved tradition at PMC. It gives everyone the opportunity to celebrate the birth of babies born at PMC. Hospital staff takes pride in providing quality care to both mothers and babies.

As the first baby born at PMC in 2026, Cole and his family received a wagon filled with diapers, toys, a bath, a diaper bag and other baby essentials. All the gifts were donated by the Portneuf Medical Center Auxiliary. Idaho State University also donated football season tickets for the Cantrell family that they will be able to use this year.