Mandeville, Manchester:

With several women on the maternity ward of the Mandeville Hospital awaiting the birth of their children, it was a guessing game from early Wednesday morning as to who would first see their bundle of joy in 2009.

Things became even more interesting when the sounds of whistles, crackling sound systems and television screens declared that the New Year had arrived and there were no births to be announced, even minutes after the midnight hour.

However, at 12:43 a.m. the wait was over, as Sophia Evans-Powell, a nurse at the hospital, announced the birth of a baby boy, weighing 3.7kg.

The son of 30-year-old Patricia Betts and Collin Gregory of Windsor district, south Manchester, was born.

The hospital registered three other births - two girls and one boy - by noon on Thursday.

- Angelo Laurence

MAY PEN, CLARENDON:

Baby girl, Renesia Renay Graham made her entrance into the world on January 1 at 1:58 a.m., at the May Pen Hospital.

Her mother, Luckeisha Francis, thanked and hugged the attending nurse, Patricia Edwards for being there at the delivery, saying she had given her so much trouble and work.

Wynlee Distributors Limited's representatives, Claudia Morgan and Valentine Cameron, were on hand to extend congratulations and a gift package to the proud and beaming mom, whose baby was the first to be delivered that day.

The 3.2kg toddler appeared unaware of the activities around her as pictures were taken to mark the occasion.

Later, Halcyone Burke Green-Williams, Lasco's product representative, also gave both mom and the attending nurse gift packages.

- Angella Chin

St Ann's Bay, St Ann:

While many persons in St Ann might still have been busy celebrating the New Year, Gaynell Edwards of Galina, St Mary, was busy bringing her first child into the world.

Little Allison, weighing 3.74kg was the first baby born in 2009 at the St Ann's Bay Regional Hospital, coming into the world at 1:52 a.m.

Both mother and child were a picture of good health when The Gleaner visited the hospital, as Wynlee Distributors continued their seven-year tradition of presenting the firstborns with gift baskets, by presenting Edwards with one such package.

The package contained, among other things, a baby bathtub, three months' supply of diapers, wipes, maternity pads and other accessories.

The presentations form part of Wynlee's overall thrust to assist females before and during pregnancy. The company also makes visits twice per week to hospitals and schools across the island.

- Carl Gilchrist