ABU DHABI // Alyaziah Saleh yesterday told how she received the best Eid gift of her life - the birth of her fourth son.
Rashed Abdelrahman Al Zaabi was the first Eid baby delivered at Abu Dhabi's Corniche hospital at 12.28am - but it was far from a smooth birth.
His mother, who has three other sons, required surgery to bring him into the world due to complications.
Mrs Saleh, an Emirati whose eldest child, Saif, is 7, said: "I went in for a normal delivery but had to get a caesarean section because the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck.
"It has been some time since my last baby [Khalifa, now 3], so I liked it because I hadn't felt like this for a long time."
Little Rashed was born weighing a healthy 2.95 kilograms.
Accompanied by her husband, AbdelRahman Al Zaabi, her children and her mother, she said she definitely wanted more children despite this traumatic birth. "I would like a girl," she added, laughing, her mother nodding in agreement. Eid brought a boy boom at the hospital, with eight of the first 10 babies delivered being male.
Sosamma Mathew, a staff midwife at the hospital for 18 years, said parents who have children on Eid Al Fitr are as happy as those who give birth on any other day.
Many expressed their joy at their new arrivals.
"It has been nice getting this angel," said Iffat Sultana, 33, from Pakistan, who gave birth to her first child at 3.58am.
Weighing 3.7kg, he was the second Eid baby born at the hospital.
Mrs Sultana said it was a painful birth but the medical staff helped make it as easy as possible.
She will spend tonight in the maternity ward and said she has no plans to expand her family just yet.
"During labour I was in too much pain but when I saw him I thought it was nice," she said.
"Still, I have decided that he is enough for me. One is fine for a lifetime."
Also pleased with her new addition was Raisa Al Mansouri, 35, an Emirati from Al Gharbia.
Her sixth child, a boy, was the last baby to be born during Ramadan at the hospital.
Mrs Al Mansouri was driven to the hospital from her home, more than 200 kilometres away, after she went into labour. All her other children were born in the capital, too.
Born just after 10pm on Monday, she said her son, who she would like to name after one of her brothers, has been a good baby.
She added that she would have help on hand when she returned home today.
"My daughters were dying to attend the delivery but they were too young to watch," said Mrs Al Mansouri, whose mother and sister were present for the birth.
Having her child on the last day of Ramadan held no extra significance for her.
"Alhamdulillah, it was a normal birth and it has given us the same happiness," she said.
But an Eid birth was particularly joyous for little Rashed's father,Mr Al Zaabi.
He believes it was a blessing that his baby was born yesterday, although the date was not something the family had considered in advance.
He will take his wife and son home as soon as she is healthy.
"On this day, I say Eid Mubarak to all the other fathers," Mr Al Zaabi said.
"I wish them all the happiness, as I am happy with my family and children."