Miriam Oviedo's baby wasted no time making her debut into the world -- born just two seconds past the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day.

Maxine Kylie was born a few days before her January 4th due date at Saint-Mary's hospital in Cote-des-Neiges, weighing in at 7.2 lbs.

For Oviedo, whose birthday is actually New Year's Eve, the birth of a healthy baby girl made an ideal gift.

Maxine Kylie was welcomed by two older sisters, who share the initials "M.K."-- Monica Kristine, 5, and Mariel Kate, 3.

"They're excited -- they want to hug the baby and touch the baby," Oviedo said. 

A spokesperson for St. Mary's hospital said it was the first time she could recall a birth occurring this close to midnight. 

Another baby girl in Quebec City

Closer to Quebec City, the first child of the New Year was born overnight at approximately 3:31 a.m. at Saint-Francois d'Assise hospital.

Mother and child, whose identities were not revealed, are doing well. However, they prefer to enjoy the first hours of bonding with their child away from the glare of the cameras, a hospital spokesperson said. 

Canada's first babies

Two Toronto hospitals say the first babies of 2018 were born at the stroke of midnight.

Both St. Michael's Hospital and Humber River Hospital say they each welcomed new babies at exactly 12 a.m. on Jan. 1.

St. Michael's spokesman James Wysotski says a 7-pound, 11-ounce baby girl was born at the hospital as fireworks were going off in nearby Nathan Phillips Square.

In a tweet, Humber River Hospital said a baby named Phillip was born at midnight, closely followed by his twin sister Victoria, who arrived seven seconds later.

A baby girl was delivered in Surrey, B.C. nine seconds into the New Year.

All the newest Canadians and their mothers are said to be doing well.

January 1 births worldwide

According to UNICEF, more than 1,000 children will be born across Canada on January 1.

Canadian babies will account for only 0.27 per cent of the 386,000 babies born on the first day of the year. 

More than half of all births will occur in nine countries, including India, which is expected to welcome more than 69,000 babies.

In China, more than 44,000 births will occur in the first 24 hours of the year, and in Nigeria, more than 20,000. 

With files from The Canadian Press.