SHARJAH: Blessings indeed pour since at least 13 Emiratis including fraternal twins were born on Jan.1, 2018 as the UAE began the “Year of Zayed” to immortalise the legacy of the country’s founder, the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

They were among at least 20 other newborns — including two sets of identical twins — delivered across the Emirates.

Zayed Ahmed Abdullah Al Qubaisi, son of Alia Mohamed Obaid Al Rumeithi, 29, and Ahmed Abdullah Al Qubaisi, 35, brought tears of joy to his clan, having been born at exactly midnight when 2017 bowed down to 2018.

His fraternal twin sister, Salama Ahmed Abdullah Al Qubaisi, came into the world immediately a second later or at 12.01am of Jan.1, at the Burjeel Hospital in the country’s capital of Abu Dhabi.

Over at Latifa Hospital in Dubai, another Zayed was born and this time to Sharifa Abdullah Al Darmaki and Abdullah Moosa Al Raisi at 1.36am.

Al Darmaki told The Gulf Today that according to her check-up a few days, back, her 3.68-kilogramme fourth baby, born by Caesarean section, was expected to be born on Jan.2 yet.

But then she had experienced labour pains since morning of Dec.31: “I never expected it. I am so happy. It is his day to come today. It is his fate to come today.

“My Mansoor (royalty) now has a companion,” she also said, adding that her two daughters’ names were Aisha (the Prophet’s – PBUH – wife) and Salama (Sheikh Zayed’s mother).

Al Darmaki said: “We had another name for him but since he came when it was announced that this year is the “Year of Zayed,” my husband said naming our son after Sheikh Zayed is the least that we can do for the founder of our country, Sheikh Zayed.”

From midnight, the other Emiratis delivered at Burjeel Hospital were Dana Al Hanaei born at 12.21am to Fatima Al Hosani and Yaqoub Al Hanaei; Ali Alyamahi to Aisha Seraidi and Ahmed Alyamahi, 12.34am; the daughter of Muna Salem Ali Al Rashedi and Khalid Salem Sultan Alfalahi, 1.29am; Alhanouf Abdulaziz Al Remeithi to Intidhar Khamise and Abdulaziz Khalifa Al Remeithi, 2.30am; Noora Khalifa Mohamed Al Qahtani to Khadija Rashed Obaid and Khalifa Mohamed Ahmed, 3.14am; Hamad Alsamahi to Ayesha Al Mansouri and Ahmed Alsamahi, 3.53am; Ahmed Abdullah Alahmadi to Hiba Ibrahim and Abdullah Alahmadi, 4.10am; Mubarek Alameri to Huda Alameri and Amer Alameri, 8.12am; and the daughter of Yusra Al Zaabi and Mahmoud Al Senani, 4.54am.

Over at the Medcare Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Dubai, Saeed became the firstborn of his parents at 12.56am.

Speaking for the family, Saeed’s father, Hamad Hussain Ali said: “Today is a very special day for three reasons. One, our first child was born today. Two, it is the start of the ‘Year of Baba Zayed.’ Three, it is New Year, indeed a happy one.”

Over at Zulekha Hospital-Dubai, Mehul Sagar and Dolly Sagar welcomed their first child, a boy, weighing 3.120kg at 11.01am through emergency Caesarean section because of “foetal distress,” according to obstetrician-gynaecologist Dr Jasbir Chhatwal.

Mehul said: “We have not decided yet on his name. We will have a ‘naming ceremony’ wherein we are going to determine his name six days from today (according to our Hindu customs).

“I and my wife are very delighted. The year looks promising. It’s a great way to start the year especially since it is the ‘Year of Zayed.’”

Another couple thrilled for the New Year blessing was Muhammad Abid and Nazia Bibi from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan and 10 years in Dubai.

Their firstborn was delivered by emergency Caesarean section at 2.16am on Jan.1.

Bibi had gone through excruciating labour pains since morning of Dec.31 at Dubai Hospital.

Abid said: “It is all about ‘one.’ She is our first child. She came on Jan.1 and we are staying here at Room 601. She and my wife used the first delivery room available.

“She is very healthy and what can we ask more. We cannot do anything if we are not healthy.”  

Their baby had been breastfed 30 minutes after delivery according to the hospital protocol.

Meanwhile, two sets of identical twins were delivered at Thumbay Hospital-Ajman.

Boys were born to Iraqi Noor, 28, at 23 seconds and 56 seconds past midnight weighing 2.49kg and 2.04kg respectively.

Girls were born to Palestinian Sumaiyya, 28, one second and two seconds after midnight weighing 2.1kg and 2.13kg respectively.

Two other boys were born at the hospital — the son of Syrian Olia Mohamad at 12.30am weighing 3.66kg and the son of Sudanese Islam at 1.52am.

At Thumbay Hospital-Fujairah was born Sultan Mousa Hadi Amanou, the fifth child of Ethiopian Mousa Hadi Amanou, an imam and Aysha Ahmed Khaleel, a housewife, at 12.07am by Caesarean section.

Khaleel went through extreme labour pains. Sultan was breastfed two hours after delivery.

At Thumbay Hospital-Dubai, born through normal delivery at 12.38am was Zuhura Farzeen at 3.090kg to her parents businessman Farook Sheriffdeen and Fathima from India.

“She is going to be breastfed.”

At Zulekha Hospital-Dubai, the first recorded birth for the year was of Jordanian Raja Majd Nuwaili born through normal delivery at 8.39am, he weighed 3.45kg.

Over at Aster Hospital in Mankhool, Dubai, Nameera Thumbi and Mohammad Shaheed K.M. from India and their first child welcomed their baby boy at 6.45am. who weighed 3.585kg.

They are still thinking about his name.

Over at Zulekha Hospital in Sharjah, two were born by Caesarean section.

They were the baby girl of Hina Talha and Muhammad Talha from India who weighed 3.32kg at birth and the baby boy of Sofia Aslam and Muhammad Irfan Shafique from Pakistan who weighed 3.515kg.

Over at RAK Hospital, Qudsiya Begum and Sameer Khan from India became the ecstatic parents of baby boy Ahyaan, 6.7 pounds at 5.45am.

Another was born at the hospital, according to the press release.