First independence baby happy and healthy

Despite being breeched at birth, little Kellakia Noel made history yesterday, becoming this country’s first baby to be born on its 50th Independence Day. The Jubilee celebration’s “first baby” was born at 12.44 am at the Mount Hope Maternity Hospital at the Eric Williams Medical Science Complex, to 25-year-old Kelly Lyons, who told the T&T Guardian she was very excited to take her child home to meet the rest of the family. The happy mother said she had to endure a hard delivery but in the end, all turned out well. “I feel real good that she was born on the 50th anniversary. It is once in a lifetime this happens and she will be 50 years old for the next anniversary,” Lyons said. Head Nurse of the Post Natal ward, Sister Paulina Cazoe said that a breech birth, was a complication that one in 100 pregnant women suffer. She explained that it occurs when the baby is feetfirst rather than headfirst. One hour after Kellakia was born, 35-year-old Laventille mother Yolande Jones, gave birth to her eighth child, Sapphire Brathwaite at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Sapphire’s father, Oba Brathwaite, could hardly contain his excitement. “Both of us were saying that it would have been nice to get a baby for Independence and it really happened. It was really nice, it’s a good thing,” he said.

Unlike Lyons, Jones said she had an easy pregnancy as it only took only two contractions before her 10.1 lbs baby was born. However, the couple of Rudolph Charles Link Road, isseeking help to put a proper roof over Sapphire’s head. Brathwaite said, “Right now if anyone can help us we need help. We need a little place to live, that will be a good blessing for her too, a home.” In south Trinidad, Moruga couple Navisa Hosein and Richard Beharry got an Independence day surprise yesterday when their baby girl came one month early making her one of the first Jubilee anniversary babies. However, the baby’s birth holds even more special significance for the couple since Beharry personally delivered the baby at their home on their living room couch in the wee hours of yesterday morning. The baby, who remains unnamed at this time, was born at 3.20 am at the couple’s Moruga home and weighed in at four pounds. She is the couple’s second child. They also have a one year-old daughter. Hosein, speaking with the T&T Guardian at the San Fernando General Hospital’s maternity ward, said she was home alone when she started to get contractions. She said she called her husband and he came home quickly. “I was very scared. Everything happen so fast. I went to the bathroom and I could feel the baby’s head. All I was thinking was ‘Please don’t let her fall in the toilet.’ My husband came home and he put me to lie on the couch.

He was there when our first baby was born so he knew what to do,” she said. Beharry said when he got home his wife was in pain. The Emergency Health Services ambulance was contacted but, Hosein said, there was no time to get to the hospital since the baby was coming out. “I put her on the couch and I could see the baby’s head. I held her until she came out and clean her up and clean her nostrils. When the ambulance came the medical technicians cut the umbilical cord,” he said. Hosein said she was proud that her baby was born on Independence day but even more proud that her husband delivered the baby himself. “He was there when we had our fist child and now he delivered our second child. It will give him a deeper bond,” she said smiling. They said they are considering the names, Ishana and Italia for their baby girl. The second Independence day baby in South Trinidad was little Mattiaus Ramnarine. The bouncing baby boy was born at 4.20 am at the Hospital. His parents, Hetty Ann Pyari, 21 and Jason Ramnarine, 26, of Penal Rock Road, Penal said they were excited to have their baby born on Independence day. Pyari said she planned the baby’s birth to coincide with the country’s birthday since is a special and important day for the nation. Ramnarine added, “Every Independence we will remember this as a double celebration. My child having fireworks every year for his birthday.”