New Year kids: UAE welcomes first babies of 2022 exactly at midnight
Parents were delighted to welcome their little ones on a day that brings hope, joy and prosperity
The first babies born in the UAE in 2022 were welcomed exactly at the stroke of midnight.
At NMC Specialty Hospital in Abu Dhabi, two Covid-19 frontline workers welcomed one of the first babies of the new year at exactly 12am.
Baby boy Kion is the second child of Indian parents Elsa Kurian, a frontline nurse at NMC Royal Hospital Khalifa City, and Thomas Alexander, who works at Zayed Military Hospital.
"It seems God gifted us with the bundle of joy as a reward to our selfless service to humanity, braving all odds, fighting the pandemic as Covid-19 warriors," said Elsa.
Dr Sunita Gupta, obstetrics and gynaecologist specialist, NMC Speciality Hospital, said the baby weighed 2.99kg.
“I am feeling delighted and proud on delivering perhaps the first baby of 2022 here. May God bless baby Kion and his family with lots of happiness and joy," she said.
Meanwhile, at Burjeel Hospital, baby boy Mohammed Ashar was also born right at midnight to Indian couple Mohammed Abdul Almas Ansari and Asfiya Sultana.
Thrilled parents, Ansari and Asfiya, said they are happy and grateful to the Almighty for blessing them with a baby on the first day of the year.
“We were expecting the delivery to happen close to the New Year. Welcoming our little prince on this special day is a proud and happy moment. This is our third child, and the entire family has been waiting for this day. He brings new hope to our family,” said Ansari.
He thanked the medical and nursing staff for the care and service during the entire period.
Dr Pathukutty Mohammed, obstetrics and gynaecology specialist, who performed the delivery, is very happy for the family.
“The baby and the mother are healthy. The baby weighed 2,640 grams. We have been handling a lot of deliveries throughout the year. But receiving babies on the day when the world is celebrating and welcoming a New Year with new hope is a moment of joy and happiness. For us, it is the best and cherished way of welcoming a new year. We wish the family and baby good health, happiness, and prosperity,” said Dr Pathukutty.
At 12.01am, baby Sabrine Assegad was born to Moroccan couple M. Assegad and Imane Aissi. Baby girl Sabrine is the second child in the family.
Dr Fady Georges Hachem, consultant, obstetrics and gynaecology, who administered the delivery, is excited for the Assegad family.
“New Year is an occasion that brings hope, happiness, joy, and prosperity. We are delighted to welcome baby Sabrine and wish the family the best,” he added.
At 1.29am, a baby named Hmaid Hassan Alshaiba Alhattawi was born to Emirati couple Hassan Alshaiba Alhattawi and Ayesha Mubarak Almamari.
Dr Sausan Abdul Rahman, consultant, obstetrics and gynaecology, said the baby and mother are healthy and safe.
“We at the hospital are very happy for the parents on the birth of their baby boy. To be blessed with a baby on a special day adds to the happiness of the family. We wish the family and the baby a very happy and healthy life.”
Elsewhere at NMC Speciality Hospital at Al Ain, baby Mohammed Muhaibullah was born to his Pakistani parents Ayesha Imran Zubair, a home maker, and father Imran Zubair Liaqat Ali, a goldsmith.
Mohammed was born at 12.42am and weighed 3.9kg. The couple had their first baby after eight years of marriage.
Dr Sheeba Binoj, obstetrics and gynaecology specialist at NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain, said: “The patient was a high-risk patient, came to the hospital on 30th of December even though the expected date of delivery was on 3rd of January 2022. It was a vacuum assisted delivery at 12.42am on the first day of the new year."
In the same hospital, baby girl Sienna Catherine Jis came into the lives of Neethu Augustine, another frontline worker, and Jis Thomas, who works at Al Ain Mall. Sienna is the Indian couple's first child.
She was delivered by Dr Sheeba Binoj via C-section and weighed 2.65kg at 6am.
At NMC Royal Hospital, Sharjah, baby girl Riyah, the third child to her parents Mohideen Fathima Rishana Shah and Shahul Hameed SM, was born at 12.04am.
Dr Selvakumari N, consultant, obstetrics and gynaecology, who delivered Riyah said: “By the grace of the Almighty, we had a successful emergency delivery and a beautiful baby girl was born weighing 3.3kg. Both the mother and child are well. May God bless them."
In a different delivery room at NMC Royal Hospital, Sharjah, the nurses and neonatologists were getting busy to deliver twin sisters Seela and Seleen at 1.37am and 1.58 am, respectively.
The twins were born to Egyptian parents Nada Eid Mohamed and Mohamed Said El Khadoary, both of who were truly ecstatic. They said: “We are grateful to Allah for this truly blessed day.”
Dr Ashraf Moawad, consultant, obstetrics and gynaecology and IVF, and Dr Mohamed Fadi, obstetrics and gynaecology specialist, delivered the babies via emergency C-section. They said: “Although the little girls weigh 2.3kg and 1.6kg, respectively, they are doing good and both the mother and child are well."
Three babies born at Thumbay University Hospital
Meanwhile, Three babies, a girl and two boys, were born after midnight at the Thumbay University Hospital in Ajman. A few seconds into the New Year, the first baby to arrive was a boy born at 12am, followed by a baby girl at 3:18 am, and lastly a baby boy at 4.17 am.
Mohammed was born to Pakistani couple Yusra Rafiq and Munim Anis at 4.17am.
Yusra said that the expected date was January 1 and they did not anticipate the delivery on the exact date. “That’s because we have an older son and he was born a few days later than the due date given by the doctor, so we were expecting the same this time again,” said Munim.
“It was a very hectic night for us. Everyone was rushing to watch the fireworks and we were heading to the hospital as my wife was in labour … but thankfully everything at the hospital was managed well and our Mohammad arrived hale and hearty.” Yusra added.
Mohammed weighed 3.34 kilograms at birth.
Meanwhile, Rahar Sunil, who delivered the baby at 3.18am, said: “We were expecting the baby to arrive on the New Year’s Eve as the doctor had intimidated in the last check-up.”
“We have two girls, the older one was born via a C-section delivery, and we were expecting the same this time around too; but we got lucky and our baby girl arrived naturally on the New Year’s! We are blessed,” she added.
The baby weighing 3.27 kilograms is yet to be named. The baby’s parents hail from India. Father Sunil Bishnoi is a sales manager at a private firm.
The doctors at Thumbay University Hospital said that all the new born and the mothers are doing absolutely fine