Just under two minutes into the new year, Montreal welcomed two of its newest and youngest residents to the city.
The team at the Jewish General Hospital is claiming to have helped bring the first Montreal-born baby of 2014 into the world.
Mila Aurora Matajic was born one minute and eight seconds after midnight to parents Melissa Thibodeau and Peter Matajic. Both baby and mother are doing well.
“When we came in at 9 p.m., the idea of having Mila be the first baby born, it was there but we didn’t think it was going to happen,” she said.
Mila, who was born weighing 3.3 kilograms (7 lbs, 6 oz.) is the couple’s second daughter.
Down the street, another hospital welcomed a baby girl seconds later.
Yara Lydia Salmi was born at St. Mary’s Birthing Center to proud parents Aouatef Mokrani and Sofiane Salmi a minute and 50 seconds after midnight.
Yara arrived earlier than expected; her due date was Jan. 8, her father said.
In an interview with La Presse Canadienne, he said the excitement in the delivery room Tuesday night was palpable and with the help of a radio, the medical team counted down to the new year in unison.
Just under two minutes later, Yara, the couple’s third daughter, was born.
Both mom and the baby are doing well, says the hospital.
The family of five hails from the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough.
