First-time parents Nikisha Chin-Loney and Ricardo Loney hoped their baby daughter Zianna Kaylee would share their birthday month of December with them, but she had plans of her own, instead arriving on 1 January.
Born at 10:49 am, Zianna Kaylee was the first baby at the Health Services Authority for 2022 and mom Chin-Loney said, although she would have liked the family to share December birthdays, she would not change a thing about her daughter’s arrival.
“My birthday is Christmas Eve and his [Ricardo’s] is 21 December… but she had to make her own grand entrance. She wanted her own month,” Chin-Loney said jokingly in a telephone interview Wednesday with the Cayman Compass.
“She is here and we are so happy about that,” the new mom said.
On Monday evening, HSA, in a post on its official Facebook page, announced the birth of the 7 pound 10 ounce baby girl born to the Newlands couple.
Chin-Loney said she and her husband, both teachers, had been looking forward to welcoming their baby in December and when she started getting contractions on 30 Dec., she was excited.
An lengthy road to delivery
The first-time mom endured three days of contractions, without the labour progressing sufficiently for her to give birth.
“Contractions were 20 minutes, 5 minutes then 3 minutes…. I was in a lot of pain,” she said.
On 1 Jan., her doctor recommended an emergency C-section.
“Everything happened so fast with that call,” she said.
“I was shaking at that time… I do not know if I was just cold or nervous,” she said, adding, “but the minute I saw her, everything changed”.
“I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” she said.
Chin-Loney admitted that giving birth was particularly concerning, given the COVID-19 situation; she picked the name Zianna for the baby, which means ‘Protected by God’.
She added that, while they are excited for their bundle of joy, they are being extra cautious.
She said they do not go out with her, to keep her safe.
“We only take her out for hospital visits,” she said, adding that Zianna Kaylee’s arrival has helped them forget about everything else happening outside.
Chin-Loney said she has been recovering well since the birth, but says healing from a C-section is no walk in the park.
“The healing process from a C-section… not easy at all. Every cough or laugh you have to hold your belly… it’s not cool at all,” she said.
Dad Ricardo said also shared his excitement at the birth. “I am humbled, overjoyed and thankful that our bundle of joy is finally here and that my wife is doing well after the experience.”
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