ABU DHABI // It is the birth of a new year and the first babies of 2015 born in the UAE’s biggest maternity hospital all shared a surprising coincidence – as well as a notable birthday.
The three children born by midday at Corniche Hospital were all boys and all were the fourth child born to their respective parents.
It took almost four and a half hours for the first arrival at the Abu Dhabi hospital.
Ahmed Shabeer opened his eyes for the first time at 4.24am, weighing 3.28kg. His parents, Fincia Shabeer and Abdel Rahmaan, of Abu Dhabi, were thrilled at the new addition to the family.
Baby Ahmed, wearing a striped woollen hat and cream babygro, snuggled into his mother’s arms as she planted a kiss on his cheek.
“I feel very happy,” said Mr Rahmaan, on the birth of his fourth child and third son. “My wife, she is happy also.”
Ahmed was due to be born in the first days of the new year but his parents did not have an exact delivery date.
Ms Shabeer was admitted to the hospital at midday on New Year’s Eve and went into labour at about 7pm that day. She gave birth by natural delivery.
The Indian couple, of Abu Dhabi, are expecting to return home today.
A little over two and a half hours after the first delivery, the first Emirati baby at Corniche Hospital — which handles about a quarter of all deliveries in the emirate — was born.
Fares Saeed Salem Al Breki, a 3.95kg baby, was born at 7am to Huda Mohamed and Saeed Salem.
The newborn, wrapped in a cream and white blanket and matching hat, pressed his eyes shut as his proud father held him in his arms for a picture.
“Words cannot describe how happy I am,” Mr Salem said. “I feel like I could fly away I am so happy.”
He has three other children, two girls aged 4 and 3 and a boy aged one and a half.
“So now two girls, two boys,” said Mr Salem.
His three other children are desperate for a glimpse of their new baby brother.
“Since I told them we are having a baby, they have been saying ‘baby, baby, baby’,” he said.
The New Year’s Eve festivities were also spent in the delivery rooms at Corniche Hospital for Jordanian couple Kawthar Awni and Ibrahim Salamah.
Ms Awni arrived at at noon on New Year’s Eve and went into labour at about 2.45am.
Their baby, Aubaida Salemeh, was born at 9.25am.
Mr Salamah cradled his son as he slept soundly in his arms wearing a matching sky-blue babygro and hat.
It is his fourth child — and fourth son.
“I miss the girls,” he joked.
While many would have been out celebrating as the clock struck midnight, Mr Salemeh said there was nowhere else he would rather have been.
Having a baby born on New Year’s Day made it all the more special, he said.
“He is a gift from God,” said Mr Salamah. “We are happy to have him on New Year’s Day.”
The delivery date was not known.
“We were told the first week of January but we did not know it would be the first day,” he said. “It was a surprise.”
While his wife had a difficult delivery, she was also delighted by her newborn’s special birthday.
“Of course she is happy he is a New Year’s Day baby,” he said.
Ms Awni is expected to leave the hospital tomorrow and return to her Abu Dhabi home where her three sons are eagerly awaiting the new arrival.
“Of course, they are very excited,” Mr Salamah said.
About 8,000 babies are born every year at the hospital, which has handled more than 200,000 deliveries in the past 30 years.
jbell@thenational.ae
