• First Hawke's Bay baby born in 2021 a blessing

First Hawke's Bay baby born in 2021 a blessing

Kimiora Witton-Turetahi was supposed to be born on Boxing Day but she decided to give 2020 a miss and arrived on New Year's Day instead. 

Her arrival at 8.16am made her the first baby born in 2021 at Hawke's Bay Hospital.

Parents Katrina and Ray Brightwell never expected their daughter to arrive on the first day of the year, let alone to be the first baby born at Ata Rangi. 

"I never really considered that as something that might happen but now I think that's pretty cool," Katrina said. "I honestly thought that I was going to have to be induced this Tuesday upcoming. It felt like she wasn't moving anywhere." 

But when she woke up at 3.30am this morning to what turned out to be contractions, she knew today was the day they had waited for years.

After a difficult pregnancy and labour that resulted in a c-section, Katrina says she is "relieved" to have her baby in her arms. 

The couple, who have been married for five years, had been trying for about three years to fall pregnant to no avail.

"We didn't think we were going to have her since we had been trying for so long and nothing had happened. We had been referred to the fertility clinics and stuff and then it just happened."

They had their hearts set on the name Kimiora "early on" in their relationship which began nine years ago. Ray first thought of the name that also happens to be that of one of Katrina's best friends. 

"She was very excited but we had our baby shower in September and she came over to visit and we had the gender reveal because we didn't know what she was at the time and then when the poppers came out and it was pink my friend was going 'time to step up'," she laughed. "But she was very flattered by it."

Her last name; Witton-Turetahi, also holds a special meaning. Witton is Katrina's maiden name, and Turetahi is Ray's family's Māori name.

The couple eventually plan on changing their last name from Ray's nan's English name to the match with their daughter. 

"I've always wanted Witton because I don't have any brothers and dad's always wanted boys, never got them so I wanted to hyphenate our kids' names." 

They already believe this year is going to be better than 2020. Their only hope for their daughter going forward is to be "happy and healthy". 

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