Salzgitter celebrates: Baby Malou is the first New Year's baby of 2026!

Salzgitter celebrates: Baby Malou is the first New Year's baby of 2026!

While the last champagne bottles were being emptied on New Year's Eve, a little girl saw the light of day: Malou was born on January 1, 2026 at exactly 12:32 a.m. in the Helios Clinic in Salzgitter. Weighing 2,650 grams and measuring 47 centimeters, she is the first New Year's baby in this hospital. Her parents, Christian (33) and Jennifer Keiper (31), can be happy about their little lucky charm, because Malou is the couple's first child together, while Jennifer already has three other children who are five, eight and eleven years old.

The birth was not an easy undertaking. After an induction and three days in the hospital, she went into labor at 7:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Christian was at Jennifer's side the entire time and supported her during the exciting hours. “Malou was a dream child,” reported the new mother. The name Malou was chosen because the family appreciates unusual names and all four children in the family have five letters in their names.

A year full of new challenges

The year 2026 will not only be exciting for the Keiper family because of Malou, but will also bring new challenges. Christian will take parental leave while Jennifer works in nursing, an area that is currently struggling with a severe shortage of skilled workers. After her maternity leave, she plans to return to work as quickly as possible.

The family's situation couldn't be more relevant, because there is an overall trend in Germany: the number of births has been falling since 2021. In 2024, around 677,000 babies were born alive. A particularly high birth rate is recorded in the summer months, while January 1st is one of the days with the lowest birth rates. On average, only around 1,500 newborns have been counted on this day over the last ten years, making Malou's magical birth very special. Again RND reports, this day is often marked by fewer births, not least because of the high proportion of planned cesarean sections.

Family happiness in the new year

Despite the challenges, the Keiper family is enjoying the well-being of the new family member. “We plan to spend a lot of time together and make the most of the baby bubble,” says Christian with a smile. It is a phase of new beginnings and joy for everyone involved. Even though Malou was born in a year marked by certain pressures in society, the happy family is entering the new year 2026 full of hope and confidence.

It's nice that another little life makes our everyday lives a little brighter! A warm welcome, Malou!