Five babies born in Hawke's Bay on Thursday

Danielle Stuart (left) and Chey Hiko with their newborn baby, Raydynn Hiko. Photo/Duncan Brown.

While there was a flurry of excitement after Jacinda Ardern announced the birth of her baby girl on Thursday evening, a Hawke's Bay family were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their fifth child - albeit nine days early.

Parents Danielle Stuart and Chey Hiko welcomed their baby boy, Raydynn Hiko into the world at about 7pm on Thursday, weighing 2863g (6lb, 5oz).

"We chose that name because Hiko means lightening and electricity and Raydynn is the god of thunder and lightning in Mortal Kombat. We changed the spelling a bit but that's why we chose it because it means the same as the last name."

Although it had not been an easy birth. "It was a horrible labour." He was born in the "stargazer" (occiput posterior) position, meaning the baby is head down but is facing towards the mother's front.

"He really was hard work because of being round the wrong way, which we didn't know. I knew something was different - it was not pleasant. It was nowhere near as easy but in the end it was good."

"His head is tiny and round and perfect", the doting mother said, as Raydynn slept in his father's arms less than 17 hours after labour.

"Chey slept on the floor snoring his head off all night and Raydynn just slept beside him just not bothered."

When it was announced Jacinda was pregnant, "the first thing my sister said to me was 'imagine if you had the baby the same day as Jacinda," Danielle said. "She's gone on about it the whole pregnancy."

"She's the first person I text saying 'you'll never guess."

"I knew nothing about Jacinda's baby until someone told me," Chey admitted.

Five babies were born at Hawke's Bay Hospital on Thursday. A Hawke's Bay District Health Board spokeswoman said the closest weight of a baby born on the same day was 7lb, 10z. The average number of babies born at the hospital per day is between 6 and 7.

Danielle, who works as a sales consultant at 2degrees plans to take about a year off, but that could change. She says she is"gutted" to have just missed out on the increase 18 to 22 weeks in paid parental leave - which comes into effect from July 1.

"I would like to thank the prime minister for looking after parents wanting to stay with their newborns a while longer."

Her fiancé, Chey works 12-16 hours a day as a logger.

They don't plan on having any more children, saying that five is enough.

Danielle has two older children; a 12-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy from a previous relationship, while Chey has a 7-year-old daughter from another relationship as well. They share a 3-year-old son together.

As for advice for the first time mother – "relax, shut everybody out and enjoy it while it lasts."