A PAIR of twins born at the New Amsterdam Hospital (NAH) were among the 23 babies on record delivered on Christmas Day across Guyana.
The twins were among five babies delivered on Christmas Day at NAH. Two of those babies were delivered by first-time mothers.

Three of the deliveries were normal while the twins were delivered via C-Section. The mothers were presented with hampers by the Ministry of Health through the Regional Health Services Department.

Regional Health Officer Dr Vishalya Sharma and Medical Superintendent, Dr Vasana Henry, handed over the hampers and other goodies to the mother and babies.

The fraternal twins, a girl and a boy, weighing 1.9kg and 2.1kg respectively, were born to 33-year-old Stacy Smith of Angoy’s Avenue, at 10:45hrs and 10:46hrs.

Smith’s twins were the last delivery of the day, with 17-year-old Tamika Crawford of Ithaca Village, West Bank Berbice, giving birth within the first hour of the day, delivering a 2.96kg baby boy at 00:50hrs.

Much later that morning, 18-year-old Shafrana Shaddick of Cumberland Village, East Canje, delivered a 3.1kg baby girl at 09:04hrs.

Shaddick shared that it was on Friday evening that she began experiencing pain. But after it continued into Saturday, she decided to visit the hospital where she was admitted until her delivery on Sunday.

Two first-time mothers commended the role of staff at the hospital for ensuring that their deliveries were safe.

Shortly after Shaddick, Rehanna Sewsankar delivered a 2.7kg baby boy at 09:58hrs. The New Amsterdam Hospital was the only public hospital in the region with deliveries on Christmas Day; there were no babies at the Port Mourant or Skeldon Hospitals.

Gynaecologist Dr Roy Sande, who is attached to the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital, said that it was his first Christmas delivery since joining the profession.

Local gynaecologist Dr Abid Ally said that the delivery process for the mothers went well with no major challenges.

In the city, six babies, two boys and four girls, were delivered at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The babies at the referral hospital were visited and presented with their hampers by the First Lady Arya Ali.

“A new baby is like the beginning of all things — wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities,” the First Lady said of the deliveries.

At the Suddie Hospital in Essequibo, three baby girls were delivered. The first baby, weighing in at 2kg, came at 12:40hrs, delivered to 25-year-old Nazeela Joseph, of Bounty Hall. This is the fourth child for Joseph. .

Also delivering her fourth child was 24-year-old Sandy Chan of Jib. Her 2kg baby girl was delivered at 1:07hrs. Twenty-year-old Mechella Goddeth of Onderneeming Sand Pit delivered the final baby of the day when she gave birth at 13:15hrs to a 2kg baby girl. This was Goddeth’s second child.

In Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), five babies were born at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) beginning with a 2kg baby girl being born at 02:35hrs to Victorine Nagalla.

This was Nagalla’s first baby. It was also a first-time birth for Anisha Sahadar, of Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara (WCD), who delivered a 2.87kg baby boy at 08:26hrs.

Rosemary Galindez, of Anna Catherina, WCD, gave birth at 06:02hrs to a 2.7kg baby boy, followed by a baby girl being born to Keishana Allen, of Bagotville, West Bank Demerara (WBD), at 07:40hrs. The last baby of the day at the WDRH, was a 2.55kg baby boy born at 21:30hrs to Asma Ally of West Minister WBD.

At the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), the maternity ward was buzzing with cheer on Christmas morning as they welcomed a bouncing baby boy and a baby girl.

The first baby, a boy weighing in at 3.730kg, was born to Lucretia Hector at 12:37hrs. At 06:30hrs, Angela Edwards then delivered her 3.920kg baby girl.

As is customary, the Linden Hospital Complex gifted the mom and babies hampers. The hampers were presented by the CEO (ag.) Dr Gregory Harris and Medical Superintendent Dr Trevlon Braithwaite.

Dr Harris congratulated the mothers on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, and wished them and their new babies the very best for the season and beyond.

In Region One (Barima Waini), 22-year-old Senika Joseph also gave birth in Port Kaituma, while Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) had two births at public hospitals.

At the Lethem Regional Hospital, Falviab Johson of Sawariwanau South-Central Rupununi gave birth to a 2.97kg son, at 02:49hrs, while at the Annai Health Centre Alicia Secundino of Wowetta Village North Subdistrict, welcomed a 3.4kg daughter at 21:30hrs.