Hong Kong welcomes 2019 with five newborns after midnight – three girls and two boys
- First child was born at 12.17am and named Hailey after the Cantonese word for hope
Hong Kong’s hospitals ushered in the new year with five newborns – three girls and two boys – as they announced their arrival to the world with loud, hearty cries just after midnight on Monday.
At 12.17am, proud parents Steven Tai Chi-wai and Abby Cheung welcomed their baby girl Hailey, who weighed 2.84kg, at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan.
Tai, 28, who works in the architecture sector and Cheung, 29, a dental nurse, were expecting their firstborn to be delivered on January 13 but little Hailey had a surprise for her parents. Cheung went into labour on New Year’s Eve and was admitted to hospital at 6am.
“I expected her to be a New Year’s Eve baby. Who would have thought there would be some wait and she turned out being a New Year baby,” the mother said.
Their bundle of joy was named after the Cantonese word for hope – hei mong.
“We wanted the name to start with ‘hei’, so we had ‘Hailey’ in mind,” Tai said.
With the birth, the family now have five living generations on the paternal side.
Tai added: “My great grandma is 103 years old. I think the elderly members will be the happiest because they all got ‘promoted’.”
My great grandma is 103 years old. I think the elderly members will be the happiest because they all got ‘promoted’.
During the interview, Cheung was reduced to tears when recalling how she went into labour.
A thankful Tai said he was grateful to his wife for the wonderful new year present, adding he was deeply moved when he saw his wife in pain.
The couple, who have been married for two years, said they were not the type to set expectations on their children or wish for their kids to be involved in too many extracurricular activities. Cheung said: “I just want her to be a happy kid. As long as she can grow up healthy, then it will be OK.
“I don’t want to force her to do what she doesn’t want to do.”
Hailey’s birth was followed by the delivery at 12.32am of another girl, weighing in at 1.48kg at Tuen Mun Hospital.
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The city’s third arrival – also a girl and weighing 3.66kg – was at Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung at 12.35am.
At 12.36am, the city’s first baby boy for 2019 was born at privately-run St Teresa’s Hospital in Kowloon City, weighing 3.75kg.
The four babies were delivered through natural birth.
Another little boy, weighing 3.46kg, joined the queue at 12.43am at Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei through caesarean section.
