Proud parents Samantha Kirikiri, 30, and Dion Kerehoma, 30, with their baby, Dion Kerehoma jnr, who was born on Christmas Day. Photo / Andrew Warner
Proud parents Samantha Kirikiri, 30, and Dion Kerehoma, 30, with their baby, Dion Kerehoma jnr, who was born on Christmas Day. Photo / Andrew Warner
The latest tech gadget or jewellery might be what some people unwrapped on Christmas day, but some families were lucky enough to receive the gift of life.
First-time mums Samantha Kirikiri and Cloe Jones were among the five women who gave birth on Christmas Day at Tauranga Hospital.
Bellevue residentSamantha Kirikiri, 30, gave birth to her son, Dion Kerehoma, who weighed in at 3.76kg, at 2.47pm.
The 15-hour labour saw "a very slow progression" but she was all smiles yesterday. "It's a miracle and the best present we could ever get," she said.
She was surrounded by her family during the long wait and had "a lot of good support around to keep me calm".
Meanwhile, Welcome Bay resident Cloe Jones, 31, was fortunate enough to fit in Christmas lunch before she went into labour.
Cloe Jones, 31, with a picture of her Christmas Day baby. Photo / Andrew Warner
"It was a running joke through the whole pregnancy that he could come any time he liked as long as he didn't interrupt my husband's Christmas dinner," she said.
Her son, who was yet to be named, was 3.57kg when he was born at 11.29pm.
Jones was due on December 27 but on Christmas morning she went into the hospital feeling "a bit funny".
She was told she had a few days to go and was sent home.
The family then sat down for lunch and present unwrapping before things kicked into motion and she started getting regular contractions.
She called her midwife, who came around for a visit. Next thing she knew, her waters had broken and there was meconium in the fluid.
