Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital welcomed its first baby of the new year. New parents, Jessica and Laurence welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Isla, at 4:41 am on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital (SBCH).
Weighing 8 pounds and 16 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches, Baby Isla’s arrival marked an exciting start to the new year.
As the family begins this new chapter, a sentiment they shared felt especially fitting: “A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care.” — Frank Herbert, Dune
The family is doing well and enjoying time together following the baby’s arrival.
The Birth Center at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital provides compassionate, family-centered care in a warm and welcoming environment, supported by advanced medical services. For babies who need extra support, the Haselton Family Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a Level III NICU, specially equipped to care for premature or critically ill newborns with round-the-clock monitoring and specialized medical teams.
Families also benefit from access to Cottage Children’s Medical Center, an award-winning regional center offering comprehensive pediatric care, from emergency and intensive care to outpatient services through Grotenhuis Pediatric Clinics.
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“Weighing 8 pounds and 16 ounces” What?
9 pounds? Probably not … more likely 8 pounds 6 ounces.