This year's first Christmas baby was a boy, born to Christiana John, 17, from St Joseph at 12.32 am yesterday.The first-time mom sat on her bed at the Women's Hospital in Mt Hope, smiling, as she held her son, who was wrapped in a blue blanket and weighed 3.5 kilogrammes.John said she has not decided his name but was considering Emmanuel.The young mother said the contractions leading up to the delivery were painful, but said her son was worth it
"I felt happy when I saw my baby," she said, after a six-hour delivery.John said all along his due date was Christmas Eve, but she secretly wished he would be born on December 25.She got her wish."His birthday is something special," John said, as she waited for her family to arrive.She knew Christmas Day would be spent in a hospital, but said it was easy as the nurses made her feel at home.
Across the room, on a nearby bed, Tanisha Rouse, 26, held her newborn son as he slept. He was the second baby born at the hospital, four minutes after the first. Gregory Lynch slept in his mother's arms, as she described the painful delivery, but very happy ending to the T&T Guardian.She did not expect him to be born yesterday, as he was due since last Saturday."He was overdue. It's like he waited for Christmas. He's my gift."She added that she was also very happy her pregnancy and delivery were over.
Rouse said her stay at the ward was easy, and she became friends with other first-time mothers in her room.Rouse and John received hampers containing baby products from the hospital.Four other babies were born at the facility before 6 am yesterday, making the tally three boys and three girls.The Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) reported Shanice Rose was the proud mother of a baby boy, born at 4.50 at the Sangre Grande hospital yesterday.
Sookram Ali, manager�corporate communications, ERHA, said they expected one more birth for the day.The first Christmas baby at Port-of-Spain General Hospital was a girl, born at 1.30 am.Her parents Christopher DeGannes and Maxine Marrast named her Janique. She is their first child.DeGannes said she went way past her due date, but didn't expect her to be born on Christmas Day."We expected her on December 8. She was overdue, due," he joked.
The proud father beamed as he said he always wanted his firstborn to be a girl."This is the greatest gift. My first child, a girl, on Christmas Day."Marrast said the delivery of her 3.9 kilogramme daughter was smooth, but still painful."It was hard. But it only lasted about 20 minutes," Marrast said. She said it's weird not to be home at Christmas, but the nurses made it easy."The nurses were really nice. It felt like they were family," she said while lying on her bed.
Up to yesterday afternoon, the Port-of-Spain General Hospital delivered ten babies–six girls and four boys.