The first baby born in the UAE in 2021 was delivered on the stroke of midnight.
After an emergency caesarean section that started at 11:40pm, the baby boy, Ibrahim, was brought into the world.
Born to Indian parents, Yasser and Ibra Khan, Ibrahim weighed 3.5 kilograms and measured 51.5 centimetres in length.
The mother was in labour and arrived at the hospital at 5pm, said Dr Suchita Mehrishi, a gynaecologist at Aster Hospital Quisais in Dubai, who delivered the baby.
“There was no descend of head, so we gave her a short trial of labour, and obviously the head did not come down so we decided it would be a caesarean section.”
Dr Mehrishi said it was a happy moment when the baby was delivered at the start of the new year.
“It has been a tough year and everybody was looking for a better new year, so what is better than having a baby at that time?”
She said this was her first time delivering a new year baby.
“When the patient comes in in labour on December 31, obviously she is expecting to make record [and deliver at midnight], but at that time the important thing is for the baby to be fine,” Dr Mehrishi said.
The unnamed baby is his parents’ first.
“The nurses and staff who were present in the labour room were wonderful,” said the baby’s father, Mr Khan.
“I was very nervous while bringing my wife here for my first child, and thanks to the team all my worries [were replaced] with happiness when I was blessed with [a] beautiful baby.”
He said receiving his child "at New Year was the cherry on top”.
Another New Year’s baby followed Mr Khan’s son at Aster.
Born to Indian parents Sunil Kuttsaeri and Fairusa Tharayil, an unnamed baby girl arrived in the world at 4:28am.
After a normal delivery, the baby came out weighing 3.36kg and 51cm tall.
At NMC’s Bareen International Hospital in Abu Dhabi, a baby boy was born at 1:28am.
Born to Pakistani parents Tanweer Yousaf and Nighat Ahmad, baby Mohammed-Hamdan arrived weighing 2.95kg.
“Allah blessed us with a baby boy and multiplied our happiness by rewarding us with a blessed son as we welcome the new year,” said the father, a commercial manager in oil and gas.
“We feel immensely blessed and extremely grateful as we embrace the new addition to our family. We wish everyone a joyous and healthy new year.”
Baby Mohammed-Hamdan is their second child.
“It is always an honour to bring a child into this world,” said Dr Nazura Siddiqi, specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, who delivered the baby.
"The team is happy at the outcome as both mother and child are healthy and safe. It is so meaningful to bring one of the first babies of the new year, 2021."
