Kirkland Boy is Overlake Hospital Medical Center's Firstborn of 2011

Having Overlake Hospital Medical Center's firsborn baby of 2011 didn't occur to Sumana Sikdar when she checked into  on Dec. 30.

Sikdar was 40 weeks pregnant and losing amniotic fluid. Having a New Year’s baby was the last thing on her mind, she told a nurse who asked about her preferred delivery date.

“I said, ‘I have no such plans. Whenever it comes, just let it come in due time,’” said Sikdar, 30.

But Sikdar’s doctor decided to take a more proactive approach. After two days in the hospital, Sikdar delivered her son, Sharoban Mandal, via Caesarean section at 1:58 a.m. on Jan. 1.  

A few minutes later, Sikdar and her husband, Sarbendu Mandal, 36, learned the news: Sharoban was the first child born at Overlake in 2011. Sikdar and Mandal said the date and time of their son’s arrival was simply one detail of a very happy event.

“That’s exciting,” Mandal said of his son’s notoriety. “I feel good.”

The couple, who both grew up in India, lived in Bellevue before they moved to Kirkland in 2009. Mandal works in information management for Group Health, and Sikdar is a stay-at-home mom. Sharoban is their first child.

There have been plenty of adjustments in the week since their son’s birth.

“All sleepless nights,” Sikdar said. “He’s sleeping all through the day and crying all through the night.”

Unlike many other new parents, Sikdar and Mandal are adapting to their new roles without a support network of extended family. In India, they said, having a child involves the whole family, and grandparents and other relatives often stay with the couple and the baby for many days after the birth to assist the parents.

But Sharoban’s grandparents live in India and were unable to travel here for his birth. Instead, Sikdar said she has made many phone calls to her mother and mother-in-law to ask for advice.

The distance between the couple and their families is just one thing that sets their experience apart from a traditional Indian birth. In India, Sikdar said, couples wait to name their children or prepare a nursery until just before or after the baby arrives, and the extended family assists with all the last-minute shopping.

Because they lack that support network, Sikdar and Mandal decided to prepare farther in advance. Now Mandal is on paternity leave and working from home while the couple adjusts.  

“In our family, nobody can imagine having a baby in this way,” Sikdar said.

Even so, the new parents said they are adjusting just fine to their new lifestyle. They might eventually have another child, but Sikdar, who has a graduate degree in business, also wants to start a career.

Mandal, smiling as he held his newborn son, suggested he could become a stay-at-home dad. Sikdar, who is still recovering from the birth, readily agreed.

“Yeah that will be fine,” she said. “Let’s exchange.”