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RANKIN INLET - The Kivalliq has laid claim to the first baby born in Nunavut in 2009.

Alexandre Roch (Kuluk) Ouellet was born at 11:44 a.m. on New Year's Day at the Rankin Inlet Birthing Centre to Gerald and Janice Ouellet of Rankin, weighing in at five pounds six ounces.

Nunavut's first new year's baby, Alexandre Roch (Kuluk) Ouellet, is joined for his first public photo by his mom, Janice, dad, Gerald, and grandma, Gladys Rempel, far left, in Rankin this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

Proud papa, Gerald, said Alexandre is the couple's first child. The RCMP corporal said it's a very, very special feeling to bring a new life into the world.

"It was very nice that Alexandre turned out to be Nunavut's first baby of the new year, but far more important was the fact we were able to have him here in Rankin and he was born healthy," said Gerald.

"In fact he wasn't even supposed to be here yet, so he's a little tiny.

"He's not an official preemie (premature baby), but he was born 16 days earlier than his Jan. 17 due date.

"It was very special for Janice and I to have Alexandre at the Rankin Inlet Birthing Centre, rather than at a hospital."

Gerald said now that Alexandre is about three weeks old, he and Mom are getting a lot less sleep than before.

He said having a new baby changes everything and he doesn't mind the lack of sleep one little bit.

"A few people called to congratulate us when they heard on local radio we had the first Nunavut baby of 2009," said Gerald.

"The staff members at the birthing centre were pretty excited when we had the first Kivalliq baby.

"They were the ones who checked into it and found we had the first in Nunavut."

Gerald said Janice's mom, Gladys Rempel, was able to fly into Rankin just before the storms hit to give the new parents a helping hand.

He said he couldn't say enough good things about the support he and Janice received from the midwives in Rankin.

"It's an amazing program we have in Rankin, and we're so fortunate to have something that good here with such great people staffing it.

"I was blown away by the support we received from the midwives.

"It's been an amazing experience and we were so lucky to have had our first baby in Rankin.

"We'll never forget it and, when we go down south, we know our next one will also be born through midwives, not in a hospital."