Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Christmas baby surprises Tauranga family

By Chelsea Boyle
Chelsea Boyle is a reporter for the New Zealand Herald·NZ Herald·
25 Dec, 2018 02:36 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Mazzie Lynn is the third child for Tauranga couple Justin and Bianca Aitken, who had been expecting her to arrive on January 6. Photo / Justin Aitken, www.justinaitken.com

Mazzie Lynn is the third child for Tauranga couple Justin and Bianca Aitken, who had been expecting her to arrive on January 6. Photo / Justin Aitken, www.justinaitken.com

Christmas Day brought a new bundle of joy to one unsuspecting Tauranga couple.

Mazzie Lynn Aitken was welcomed into the world at 8.57am on Christmas Day, 12 days early.

"It was raining, crazy rain, and then all of a sudden the sun came out after she was born," her father told the Herald.

She was the third child for Tauranga couple Justin and Bianca Aitken who had been expecting their tot to arrive on January 6.

Zavier, Justin and Sienna look on as Bianca cradles new arrival Mazzie.
Zavier, Justin and Sienna look on as Bianca cradles new arrival Mazzie.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The early arrival has derailed plans of popping a leg of lamb in the oven for Christmas dinner but the couple could not be happier.

As a wedding photographer Justin Aitken often has a front-row seat to special occasions but nothing could prepare him for what a big day it would be for the family today.

"It was a very special moment," Aitken told the Herald.

Mazzie was born weighing 3.5kg "with some change", he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"She is just a beautiful, healthy baby girl. There is nothing else like it in the world.

Mazzie Lynn Aitken was born at 8.57am on Christmas Day. Photo / Justin Aitken
Mazzie Lynn Aitken was born at 8.57am on Christmas Day. Photo / Justin Aitken

"We just feel super blessed right now.

"My wife is doing great. She's just an absolute champion, so hardcore."

Mazzie was in the posterior position which apparently makes giving birth more difficult, he said.

But that seemingly did not slow things down as Mazzie arrived an hour after her family walked into Tauranga Hospital, with Aitken catching his brand-new daughter like a cricket ball.

"My wife is a champion, an absolute champion," Aitken said.

"I am really stoked right now, I'm just glad that everything went well."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times
|Updated

New Taupō home, Lake Rotoiti renovation win at House of the Year

Bay of Plenty Times

30 years of service: Volunteer honoured for dedication to community

Bay of Plenty Times

Doctors alarmed by whooping cough surge


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

New Taupō home, Lake Rotoiti renovation win at House of the Year
Bay of Plenty Times
|Updated

New Taupō home, Lake Rotoiti renovation win at House of the Year

The Master Builders awards recognise the craftsmanship of Bay builders.

20 Jul 10:28 PM
30 years of service: Volunteer honoured for dedication to community
Bay of Plenty Times

30 years of service: Volunteer honoured for dedication to community

20 Jul 09:06 PM
Doctors alarmed by whooping cough surge
Bay of Plenty Times

Doctors alarmed by whooping cough surge

20 Jul 08:23 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP