Christmas joy as babies make their first appearance

THE best Christmas presents were still wrapped yesterday — in swaddling clothes and baby grows.

The Christmas Day babies were being doted upon and showered with gifts after their parents spent Thursday in labour wards around the country.

The first Christmas baby arrived in the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street in Dublin, about 20 minutes after midnight.

Born to first-time parents, Cliona and Rory Carton from Harold’s Cross in Dublin, the little boy, who weighed 9lb, has not yet been named.

Susan Yang’s new daughter Cloe Noelle Zhang was the first Christmas baby to arrive in the Coombe Women’s Hospital in Dublin on Thursday.

Cloe was born at 12.36am, weighing 7lb and she should be at home in Drimnagh with her dad Chengjiu Zhang, and her big brother, Chenxi Zhang, 13, soon.

Joanna Lynch and Darren Ryan from Duleek, in Co Meath named their first child Kai Richard.

He was the first Christmas baby born in the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin. He arrived at 1.40am and weighing 9lb 4oz.

Twelve new people arrived in Cork’s University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) on Christmas Day — the same number as last year — with the first of the six boys and six girls arriving in the early hours.

George and Elizabeth O’Mahony, from Ballyvolane, were yesterday still considering a name for their healthy baby boy who arrived at 12.26am weighing in at 7lb 13oz.

Sinead Dignam and her partner Alan Sievewright had a baby boy Cian at 1.32am weighing in at just under 7lb.

Fairhill couple Jennifer Savage and Gary Aherne’s boy, Christopher Sean, arrived five minutes later, weighing in at 8lb 2oz.

And at 3.15am, Anna and Dariusz Napek from Poland welcomed their new arrival, Nadia, who weighed in at 7lb 7oz.

The last Christmas Day baby was a little girl, born at 10.48pm.

Monica Harrington, CUMH’s assistant director of midwifery, described Christmas Day in the labour ward as extra special.

“It’s the time of the birth of Christ and it’s lovely that we have children born here on Christmas Day — it brings out the real spirit of Christmas,” said Ms Harrington.

However, things were very quiet in the maternity unit at Kerry General Hospital on Christmas Day.

The unit was a newborn free zone for the first time in several years.

Midwife Frances Flynn said staff are gearing up for what could be a busy New Year’s Eve.