Robert Wood Johnson welcomes first leap day baby
Charles "Chaz" Gildersleeve Jr., who was born Thursday, Feb. 29 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital's Maternity Unit in New Brunswick, is among a special group of children with leap day birthdays.
Chaz entered the world at 7:06 a.m. weighing 9 pounds, 10 ounces, according to the hospital.
The odds of having a leap day birthday are estimated at about one in 1,500, according to the hospital. Only about 200,000 people are born on Feb. 29 in America, and now Chaz is one of them.
The leap year and extra day was instituted officially in 1582 with the Gregorian calendar (though it dates back to ancient Egyptian times) due to the amount of time it takes the earth to go around the sun, and as a measure to help keep the seasons occurring at the same time every year.
Yet to be decided for Chaz is the dilemma parents of babies born on Feb. 29 all face, whether to celebrate their child's birthday once every four years, or twice every year on Feb. 28 and March 1.
“He took his time with his arrival so we are just happy that he is here and want to celebrate,” said his mother, Christine Gildersleeve.
RWJUH delivers 2,500 babies annually.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Newborn leap baby delivered at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
