As the first seconds of Eid Al Fitr ticked by, the first baby was born in the UAE at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
With a birth recorded at 12.01am on Wednesday, Emirati Sultan Alshamsi and his Moroccan wife Rahma Hellab celebrated becoming proud parents for the second time.
The arrival of baby Umair, who weighed a healthy 2.89kg, gave cause for double family joy as celebrations got under way across the Emirates to mark Eid.
“This Eid has been doubly blessed for us with the arrival of our little one. We are overjoyed and thankful to the Almighty for baby Umair,” said Mr Alshamsi.
“We are grateful to the hospital staff for their exceptional care.”
Dr Khaled Omar, a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology at Burjeel Hospital, helped to deliver baby Umair.
“Welcoming a new life into the world during such a special time fills our hearts with joy,” he said.
A few hours later, Filipinos Mark Laurent and Joyvi Ecalnar celebrated the birth of their first child at Aster Hospital in Mankhool.
At 6.22am their daughter, Jaeyoona Kaori Laurente, arrived.
“We were overjoyed to welcome our precious baby girl into our lives on this auspicious occasion of Eid Al Fitr,” said Mr Laurent.
“She is our first child, and her arrival has filled our hearts with immense happiness and gratitude.
“We extend our deepest thanks to the dedicated staff for their exceptional care and support throughout this special journey.”
The couple welcomed their baby after a natural birth. During Eid, women due to give birth often schedule Caesarean section procedures.
Planned births have become common across the country and often coincide with special occasions throughout the year.
"As an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist at Aster Hospital Mankhool, I've observed a growing trend where many mothers opt for planned births during auspicious occasions like Eid or other significant events throughout the year," said Dr Stuti Mishra.
"However, this decision has medical, ethical and cost implications. Therefore, detailed discussion should be done to provide unbiased information and support to the mothers."
It was a busy morning for maternity staff at Zulekha Hospital in Sharjah, where Shoaib Hassam Mohammed supported his wife, Aiman Fathima, as she gave birth to their first child, a girl weighing 2.56kg at around 3.45am.
At 5.11am, Filipino architect Carl Mantos and his wife Daphne welcomed their second child, who was four weeks overdue.
Their daughter weighed 3.18kg and was born at NMC Royal Hospital, Dubai Investments Park.
“It's always a great occasion to celebrate a birth of a child on a holy day,” said department head Dr Surekha Pai, a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology.
“Seeing both the baby and mother doing fine is all we strive for and our team works day in and out to achieve this.”
Three hours later, at RAK Hospital in the Northern Emirates, Indian couple Mohandas Balagurusamy and Selvi Gurusamy were overjoyed by the birth of their daughter.
Mr Balagurusamy said he was proud to become a father again, as he held his second child for the first time.
