IGLULIK
Her parents were expecting her for mid-January but Allyson Qaumagiaq Jeannie Bernice Aqatsiaq-Perry made a notable early entry into this world as she is Nunavut's first baby of the year for 2013.
Big brother Lazarus Aqatsiaq holds Allyson Qaumagiaq Jeannie Bernice Aqatsiaq-Perry, who was born on Jan. 1 at 11:04 a.m. at Qikiqtani General Hospital in Iqaluit. The newborn baby girl is Nunavut's first baby of the year. - photo courtesy of Tracy Aqatsiaq
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Aqatsiaq-Perry weighed six pounds, 10 ounces at birth on Jan. 1 at 11:04 a.m. at the Qikiqtani General Hospital in Iqaluit.
It's the first child for proud parents Steve Perry and Tracy Aqatsiaq, of whom the latter also has an eight-year-old son, Lazarus Aqatsiaq.
"He was born on my birthday and having her born on New Year's, feels like we're so blessed," Aqatsiaq said. "I was so surprised … We're still happy, we're still celebrating. To start off the new year like that, can't compare it to anything else. We're just so happy."
Perry, who was in Iqaluit for the birth, said the baby's arrival was "very exciting" for everybody there. Hospital staff hinted to the parents that Aqatsiaq-Perry was the first baby of the year for the territory, after her birth, he added.
The healthy baby girl was born 11 hours after her mother's water broke while watching the fireworks on New Year's Eve.
"I tried to go back to sleep after the fireworks and then around 3 in the morning, I started my contractions," said Aqatsiaq. "And then at 9:30 a.m., the contractions were getting a little bit unbearable so we went to the hospital. And then at 11:04 a.m., she was born."
She added she wasn't excited right away, thinking it might be a while before she would give birth but when she woke up in the early morning hours with contractions, she got excited.
Aqatsiaq recounted her grandmother used to tell her father that it's best for pregnant women to get fresh air when they first wake up – actually to go outside, not just put their head through the door. This will shorten the labour, the new mom added.
"I did that, going out right away when I wake up so the labour won't be so long. And it worked," said Aqatsiaq. "She came out so fast. I was skeptical at first but after doing that and having such a short labour, it really works and we should listen to our elders."
