CUMMING — Wednesday morning marked an important milestone for the new Women’s Center at Northside Hospital-Forsyth.

Hudson Lee Bickers, at 20 inches long and weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces, was delivered via cesarean section at 7:44 a.m. His was the first scheduled birth in Forsyth County in 25 years.

Family physician Shannon Mize, who delivered the last scheduled baby born in Forsyth County in 1983, said he stopped deliveries because the local facilities were no longer adequate for the growing community.

"I think we did a good job for being as rural as we were at the time," he said. "But we didn’t have what we needed ... because Atlanta was nearby."

Hudson is the second son of Flowery Branch residents Russell and Allyson Bickers.

The couple’s 2-year-old son, Brayden, joined them at the hospital Wednesday to celebrate the new addition to their family.

Russell Bickers said Brayden is "real excited" about being a big brother.

"We’ve been talking about it a long time," he said.

By 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Hudson was the first of three boys born at the hospital. A baby girl was on the way.

Allyson Bickers said her obstetrician-gynecologist, Sean Lambert, had told her a few months ago there was a chance her delivery would be the center’s first.

"We were just thrilled to be the first," Allyson Bickers said.
"Everyone’s been so generous and accommodating and it’s been a wonderful experience."

Bickers said the delivery was "perfect."

"Everyone was on time and he came out good and there were no complications with me or the baby, so we’re thankful for that," she said. "Everyone has just been great."

Bickers said she expects to take her new baby home by Saturday.

Lambert said he is thrilled about the Cumming facility.

"This has been a real pleasure," he said. "I’ve been up here 15 years. My partner and I merged a few years back, and Cumming is growing. For me this has just been wonderful."

Lambert said the women’s center offers every support service needed, including high-risk obstetrics and neonatal care.

"It’s not just that we’re delivering babies," he said. "It’s a full package here."

The 103,000-square-foot facility is expected to deliver about 2,000 babies each year.

"Just to finally be at this point where we can actually start doing what we’ve been planning for so long ... is just absolutely exhilarating," Melissa Sugg, the hospital’s manager of women’s services said last week prior to the center’s opening. "We’re just so excited to share the experience and we are so happy to be delivering babies in Forsyth County again."