TWENTY-TWO minutes into Christmas Day yesterday, little Angelie Mohammed-Khan was born, becoming the first child for her parents, the first grandchild in the family and also the first baby to be born at the San Fernando General Hospital that day.

Her parents, Nadia Mohammed, 19 and Rohaman Mohammed-Khan of Chaguanas, were both elated.

"I am feeling happy. This is the best present I could have gotten," Nadia told reporters yesterday.

Baby Angelie, whose name was chosen by her mother, was expected to be born on New Year's Day but around 1 a.m. on Christmas Eve, Mohammed began experiencing labour pains.

She was taken to the Couva District Hospital and transferred to San Fernando General Hospital.

Yesterday she sat on the hospital bed cradling her eight-pound baby.

"Everybody's glad it's a girl. She's the first grandchild for both sides of the family," Nadia said.

Mohammed-Khan, 25, said the early birth came as a surprise but he felt "very good" about becoming a first time father.

Oma Baboolal delivered the second baby at the hospital at 8.21 a.m.

The boy, who is yet to be named, is her second child.

The first, Navita, was at Baboolal's side yesterday during the interview.

Baboolal's son was expected on January 4 but after three hours of labour the 4.6-pound baby yesterday became an early addition to the family.

Miranda Francis, 25 , was the third to become a new mother at the hospital.

Francis was given Christmas Day as her due date and at 8.55 a.m. she gave birth to her seven-pound baby, Makayla.

The mother of a six-year-old boy, Francis of Tarodale said she had mixed emotions over the birth of her child.

The babies were delivered by midwives Sonia Gall and Irma Lewis.