Timely arrivals make the day extra special
It was a National Day to remember for parents who welcomed new family members in the early hours of yesterday.
Khadijeh Cheragheleh and Yaqqb Al Hammadi were among the first Emirati parents to celebrate the joy of a newborn, with the arrival of Diyab shortly after midnight.
Maternity staff delivered the boy at Al Zahra Hospital in Sharjah, ensuring that celebrations started early for the couple.
“We believe that National Day this year will be a lucky day for us, and it has certainly started on the best note possible,” the mother said.
Only 20 minutes later, the hospital welcomed its second National Day newborn. Sama was born at 12.32am to Jordanians Duha Al Qawatneh and Anas Al Baltosh.
Both infants were delivered by Dr Rebab Helmi, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist.
At NMC Specialty Hospital in Al Ain, a girl was born to firsttime parents Mr and Mrs Mohammed at 12.15am.
Mariam was delivered via Caesarean section, with moderate respiratory distress and suspected sepsis. Doctors rushed her to the neonatal intensive care unit, where she has since stabilised and will be monitored for about a week.
Mr Mohammed said he was delighted to become a father after six years of marriage, but would be happier still when he and his wife could bring their daughter home.
It was also a busy start to the festivities at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
New mother Mary Grace Macaligar, from the Philippines, gave birth to Rayan Foukajdi in the first minute of the day.
Dad Mehdi Foukajdi, from Morocco, was delighted to welcome a National Day baby into the family. “We are very happy that God has blessed us with a healthy baby boy and this is the most precious moment of our lives,” he said.
Rayan, weighing 3 kilograms, was the only baby born at the hospital yesterday.
“Delivering a baby on such a proud occasion is an incredible feeling and we are very happy that it happened here at Burjeel Hospital,” Dr Fady Hachem said. “We wish a happy and a healthy life for this little bundle of joy.”
At Aster Hospital Mankhool, baby Murtaza was born to Shabana Bano and Tanveer Abbas.
The couple, from India, welcomed their son at 2.05am, weighing in at 3kg.
“We are very proud and happy to have had our first baby on National Day,” the family said. In Mohammad Bin Zayed City, doctors at Bareen Hospital were working hard in the early hours to ensure the safe arrival of Emirati boy Hamad.
He arrived at 8.54am, and is the second child for Mr and Mrs Al Marri.
Baby Hamad was delivered via Caesarean section and weighed 2.7kg.