Thu, Jan 2, 2025 at 07:34 PM

January’s Baby of the Month: Iyla Grace Coltrain

Marshall Medical Centers is proud to celebrate January’s Baby of the Month, Iyla Grace Coltrain, the fourth child of proud parents Emori and William Coltrain. This newest addition to their family arrived on January 2, 2025, at 5:55 p.m., weighing 7 pounds, 3 ounces, and measuring 19 inches long. Iyla was the first baby girl to be born at Marshall Medical South in the year 2025.

Iyla’s arrival was a special surprise for her parents, who chose to wait until birth to discover her gender. 

“We already had a boy and two girls, so we had both genders at home,” Emori shared. “We thought, why not just wait to find out?” 

Their family now includes a 5-year-old, a 3-year-old, a 22-month-old, and their newest little girl.

This is the Coltrain family’s second birth at Marshall Medical South, making Iyla’s birth even more meaningful. Both Emori and William were born at Marshall Medical South themselves, continuing a legacy of family connections to the hospital.

“The Marshall Medical staff made it really fun to give birth here,” Emori said. “The nurses would come in and make tally marks on the board, guessing the baby’s gender. The team here was so nice and made me feel comfortable.”

Emori works as an Emergency Medical Technician in the Ambulatory Services Department for Marshall Medical Centers, a position she has held for five years. William serves as a 911 dispatcher for Marshall County 911. Both parents are deeply rooted in the community; William is originally from Grant, while Emori was born in Boaz, grew up in Crossville, and now lives back in Boaz.

When asked about the emotions of meeting Iyla for the first time, both parents shared heartfelt memories. 

“I cried,” Emori admitted. William added, “I cried too." 

"The second they told us she was a girl, I said I knew it. I had been saying from the get-go it was a girl," Emori said.

Balancing work and family life with four young children can be challenging, but the Coltrains credit their strong support network of grandparents and friends.

“Sometimes they don’t want to give the kids back,” Emori joked.

The entire team at Marshall Medical Centers congratulates the Coltrain family on their beautiful new addition and thanks them for sharing their story. Welcome to the world, Iyla Grace!