Christmas babies bring unbridled joy

Sweet cries signalling hope and newness engulfed the maternity ward at the May Pen Hospital in central Clarendon on Christmas Day as babies made their grand entrances into the world.

Baby Julianna Johnson was the first Christmas Day baby, born at 8:34 a.m. Tashieka Gray, the Christmas baby's mother, told THE STAR that atop her wish list is for Julianna to "just grow up good".

Speaking of her labour experience, Gray said it was "painful, but fun.".

"I had some wonderful nurses who really took care of me. They made me laugh through the pain," said Gray.

Whilst stating that the labour and delivery experience was terrible, Tashoya Walford, the mother of the second baby, a boy named Teven Bryant, also had commendations for the team of nurses. Walford, who burst into tears as she was wheeled from the delivery room to meet her spouse, Vencott Bryant, and their six-year-old daughter, Vennecia, said, "I am happy and excited that I get to make it out with my child."

Baby Teven was born at 10:18 a.m.

Referencing ultrasound results, Walford said her baby was due to be born on December 28, but her mother had anticipated the baby being born on Christmas Day.

Quizzed on what Christmas meant to him, baby Teven's father, Vencott Bryant, said, "Well [Christmas] means a whole lot today", with a hearty laugh. Bryant, who saw his son some three hours after his birth, said he was on tenterhooks as he pondered what was causing the delay. He said he was relieved, upon seeing a nurse escorting his son and spouse towards him.

It was also a joyous occasion for the family of baby Jamier Henry, who was born four days shy of Christmas Day. His grandfather, Hopeton Steve, showered him with words of love as he cuddled him outside the maternity ward.

"From him born I come here every day, and I'll be here every day until him and his mother leaves," said the grandfather, beaming with pride, as he whispered "I love you" to the baby.

Steve, who is now a grandfather of five, said baby Jamier is his first "Christmas baby".

Despite being away from her own family on Christmas Day, Nurse Anne-Marie Coote, who was among the midwives on duty, expressed enthusiasm of being able to witness new births.

"We know that's a part of the job...being away from our own family in order to help our patients and their families in this wonderful season, so being here is always a blessing. It's a blessing to see new lives come into the world. Every life that comes into the world comes with a promise of a bright future. Just like Jesus came to give us a bright future, our new babies are here and we never know what they will become in life, so we have all the hopes for them," said Coote.

She said she ventured into midwifery to be a part of the wonderful, life-changing moment for families.

"There's a saying that 'The hand that rocks the cradle rocks the world', so we get to be part of this wonderful experience of bringing a life into the world, and encourage the mommies and give them information that they will need along the journey," Coote told THE STAR.