Hawke's Bay welcomes first baby for 2021

Proud new parents Katrina and Ray Brightwell with their baby girl Kimiora. Photo / Paul Taylor

While some people were making New Year's resolutions and others recovering from last night's celebrations, a Hastings couple spent the first day of the year bringing their new baby girl into the world.

Katrina and Ray Brightwell welcomed Kimiora Witton-Turetahi at 8.16am.

Katrina woke in the middle of a contraction about 3.30am on New Year's Eve then headed to Hawke's Bay Hospital when they intensified.

Baby Kimiora arrived at 8.16am on January 1, 2021 weighing 3.705kg (8.8 pounds).

The new parents hadn't expected Kimiora to arrive on the first day of the year - she was due on Boxing Day.

"It was weird, I kind of just didn't really think it was going to happen, I thought surely not, not New Year's Day," Katrina said.

The couple had the name Kimiora picked out a long time ago when they first met. It was a name that Ray first liked but is also the name of one of Katrina's best friends.

"So we thought it was just like a nice nod [to her]".

Katrina said being pregnant during 2020 had not been great, and she suffered with bad hyperemesis throughout her pregnancy.

After a long and tiring labour she said she felt "relieved" when the baby arrived.

But baby Kimiora has made it all worth it: "I suppose it's one of those things you'd just do all over again."

Katrina hasn't had much time to think about the year ahead yet, but her main hope for 2021 is that her baby is "happy and healthy and grows well".