New Year's baby marks new beginning

As the clock ticked past midnight and WA partygoers popped champagne corks, waved sparklers and sang Auld Lang Syne, Sonja and David Etherton were busy with a very different new beginning.

The proud pair welcomed Jayce into the world at 12.18am yesterday, a little brother for their two sons and two daughters.

Jayce was born weighing 3.27kg at Joondalup Health Campus and is believed to be the first baby of 2014 for the Perth metropolitan area.

Mrs Etherton went into labour on Tuesday morning, but in a sign her fifth-born wanted to make a grand entrance, he waited until the clock sneaked past midnight before making his debut - 10 days before his due date.

"It was a really cool way of ushering in the new year," Mr Etherton said.

"We're very, very excited and just looking forward to seeing him grow up.

"The kids are all stoked."

Mr Etherton said his wife was doing well.

Perth's main maternity hospital King Edward Memorial welcomed its first baby of 2014 at 1.46am and St John of God hospital in Subiaco didn't get a new year baby until almost 7am. Natasha Boddy