It's a girl! B.C. welcomes first baby of 2018 seconds after midnight
First New Year's baby in the province was born at Surrey Memorial Hospital
The first baby to be born in British Columbia this year made her way into the province just nine seconds after midnight.
The baby girl, who doesn't have a name yet, was delivered at Surrey Memorial Hospital weighing eight pounds, seven ounces.
She's the first child for parents Manpreet Kaur Nijjar and Hardip Singh Shergill, who moved to Canada two years ago.
"It's great," said mom Manpreet of having the province's first baby of the year. "I'm happy. Before I was nervous [about being a first-time parent,] but now I'm happy."
The baby was born by C-section, more than a week after missing her due date on Christmas Eve.
British Columbia's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewYearsBaby?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NewYearsBaby</a> is a girl! Born at Surrey Memorial Hospital 12:00:09am weighing 8lbs 7oz. Congrats to the family! <a href="https://twitter.com/Fraserhealth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Fraserhealth</a> <a href="https://t.co/uXMS2J4bUe">pic.twitter.com/uXMS2J4bUe</a>
—@BCGovNewsIt's the second time in a row that B.C.'s first baby of the year has been born moments after the countdown ends — 2017's first baby, Montgomery, was also born right at midnight.
He was delivered at B.C. Women's Hospital to parents Dana and Peter Harlos, weighing eight pounds, 14 ounces.
More 'firsts'
Other health authorities also announced the first babies of 2018 for their regions on Monday morning.
The first for southwest B.C. arrived at Squamish General Hospital at 12:50 a.m., weighing six pounds, eight ounces. On Vancouver Island, another baby was born in Nanaimo at 1:23 a.m. The newborn weighed nine pounds, 11 ounces.
A baby girl named Camilla was born in northern B.C. at 7:25 a.m. She arrived in Dawson Creek to parents Tricia and Ryan, as well as her big brother Emmett.
"Congrats to the proud parents and their families," Island Health wrote in a tweet.
With files from Jesse Johnston