Singapore welcomed it's first National Day babies of 2017 at the stroke of midnight. 2 little angels were born at 00:00:00 hours on 9 August.
Mummy Rabitah Razali, 28, was expecting her baby only by 21 August, but she went into labour at around 6 am on Tuesday, 8 August. After 18 hours of labour at Raffles Hospital, she and hubby Eddy Kurniawan were blessed with a baby boy, Emir Rayhan.
Daddy Mr Kurniawan, an airport emergency services officer, recalls to The Straits Times, "I whispered words of encouragement to her and said prayers. I also extended my arm to her and she gripped it very hard."
Baby Emir weighed 3.295 kg at birth, and was delivered naturally. Rabitah, who works as Housing Board administrative executive, tells The Straits Times, "I feel quite honoured because this is a special day and we can celebrate with the whole nation."
Meanwhile, the situation at Mount Alvernia Hospital was slightly different.
Mummy Soh Bei En's original delivery date was supposed to be last Thursday, and she was already overdue by 6 days.
Daddy Tan Shi Chang, human resource executive, tells Channel NewsAsia, “Initially, when I heard that the estimated delivery date was between Jul 31 and Aug 3, I jokingly asked the nurse if we could aim for a National Day baby. She replied that it would be tough".
Fate proved otherwise, and baby Matheus Tan Pin Xuon entered the world on Aug 9, at the stroke of midnight, weighing 3.83 kg.
Here's wishing both these families love, good health and happiness!
Also READ: Singapore dad delivers baby on highway!
Source: The Straits Times, Channel NewsAsia,
Image: Channel NewsAsia
