KUALA LUMPUR: Siti Nur Aisyah Atiqah Bakaruddin had no idea that besides celebrating her 25th birthday today, she would also be giving birth to her first child.
Siti’s son, who was due next month, was born at the Kuala Lumpur Women and Children Hospital (WCH) at 1.39am and weighed 3.28kg.
“About three days ago, I had been having intermittent contractions.
“Yesterday, I wasn’t feeling good and decided to check into the hospital.
“We initially went to another public hospital, but when my husband was not allowed into the labour room, we decided to come here.
“Despite him being born a month earlier than scheduled, everything went smoothly and I had a normal delivery.
“I hope I can go home tomorrow.
“His would-be birthday of 2-2-2020 sounds lovely, but sharing mine is even more special,” said the housewife, who was also born at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).
Siti and her husband, Muhammad Rayyan Ziyad, are naming their son, Muhammad Rais Ezra.
The baby’s grandparents will be visiting them from Selayang later today.
Rais is among four New Year babies born at midnight at the hospital.
Civil servant Nik Mohd Nazrun Nik Mamat, 39, and his wife, Nur Eiza Syafinaz, 23, welcomed their first child at 12.16am.
“I am really happy to see him. It was a long wait for him in the labour room, but everything was done in an hour,” Nur Eiza said, adding that she had endured 16 hours of contractions.
“We are still thinking of names, but I really like the name Naufal,” she said.
Bank officer Siti Fatimah Ahmad, 31, who welcomed her third child, said she was initially scheduled for a Caesarean section when doctors found out that her baby had yet to engage properly for normal delivery.
“Of course, I wanted a normal delivery as I had with my first two, but since it took a while after contractions, the doctors recommended a Caesarean instead.
“I had to wait for my turn to head into the operation theatre for my operation at 1am, but suddenly my son was ready to greet the world.
“It was truly a relief, and his sister could not wait to see him.
“She keeps calling her brother ‘Muhammad Adik Baby’,” she said.
Her husband Abdul Hakim Alias, 31, said their son was born at 12.16am and weighed 2.85kg.
The couple’s family members will be arriving from Ipoh and Johor later today.
Yunus Yusof, 30 and Nursyairah Norzan, 27, welcomed their first child, Yusra Hana, at 1.32am. The baby girl weighed 3.33kg.
“Since we were both born at HKL and we live in the city, we decided to have our daughter born here as well,” said Yunus.
“The hospital now has better facilities in the building that caters only to women and children.”
WCH director Dr Roniyuzam Abd Malek said 17 babies were born between midnight and 11am today.
Dr Roniyuzam said there were more deliveries this year than last year as the hospital was able to handle more patients.
“On the first day of this year, we delivered 17 babies -- 10 girls and seven boys.
“Two mothers delivered their babies via Caesarian,” he said, adding that since the new hospital building was opened in September, they had received patients from the Klang Valley and other parts of the country.
“On average, we have around 30 newborns in a day.”
He said the hospital was known for its father-friendly facilities.
He advised women who are at the end term of their pregnancies to plan well and choose the nearest public hospital to prevent complications.
The hospital’s Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics Department began operating in September last year when the HKL maternity ward closed down after 56 years.