Moana is the first Mother’s Day baby for 2017

The 20-year-old Champs Fleurs resident gave birth to a girl at 12.01 am at the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope .

Cradling her sleeping daughter Moana Justine, Peters said she started getting labour pains on Friday morning but it wasn’t until Saturday night that she checked into the hospital .

Asked about the delivery, Peters told reporters it was “terrible because there was a lot of pain. But I’m thankful for the blessing of my child.” Moana, named after the lead female character in the Disney movie of the same name, weighed 6.3 pounds at birth and is the second child for her father, 24-year-old Shaka Cruickshank .

A smiling Cruickshank told reporters, “I’m excited to have a daughter. I have a seven-year-old son.” The family was also visited by Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh who jokingly asked Peters if he could take her baby girl home because their two children are all grown up but his wife still loves having babies around .

The new mom asked, “Just for the day?” to which the minister joked, “No, forever.” As everyone burst into laughter, Peters told Deyalsingh Moana’s father wouldn’t allow that .

Deyalsingh also asked Peters about her treatment by staff .

“The treatment was very nice .

Everybody has a different experience but my experience was nice. It was lovely and I thank all the staff for that.” On the other end of the East West Corridor, 32-year-old Mellissia Celestine of Barataria gave birth to a boy at the Maternity Ward of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital at 1.20 am .

Weighing just over seven pounds, Andel Ameer Celestine slept in his mother’s arms while she was being interviewed yesterday morning .

This is her third child; Celestine has an older son and daughter; one is 14, the other is 12 .

Deyalsingh also asked the mother if she had experienced poor treatment that is sometimes talked about in reference to the public health sector .

“That is old talk,” Celestine said with a smile .