Krystal pulls out all the stops to be first Christmas baby

Krystal Marea Lee Walker was in such a rush to be the first child born on Christmas Day that she arrived during a quick stop at her grandmother's house.

Mother Tracy Davis went into labour about 20 minutes to midnight on Christmas Eve at her home east of Opotiki.

She left home with Krystal's father, Whetu Walker, to drive the five minutes to her mother Christine's house at Torere to pick up an overnight bag.

The plans for Krystal's birth had been carefully worked out.

"Tracy had her gear ready here because her husband had been away working and she prepared everything at our house," said her mother, Christine Davis, yesterday.

But the baby decided not to wait for the 15-minute car ride to Opotiki Hospital, arriving instead on her grandmother's bathroom floor at exactly one minute past midnight.

"It was a really rapid labour and I was thinking, 'she's not going to make it'," Mrs Davis said.

"Next thing Tracy was on the bathroom floor and she wasn't getting up and going anywhere."

The family was excited at the baby's arrival on Christmas Day, she said.

"My other daughter was on the phone to Telecom counting down the time and she said, 'it's one minute past midnight!"'

Mrs Davis phoned midwife Conny Mikosch on her landline after the baby's parents had trouble using their cellphone on the way to Mrs Davis' home.

Ms Mikosch immediately phoned for an ambulance but by the time midwife and ambulance arrived, Krystal was already in her mother's arms.

"It was all over by that time and Tracy chose to stay at her mum's for Christmas with a new Christmas present," Ms Mikosch said.

Krystal's birth wasn't the only rapid-fire delivery for her daughter, Mrs Davis said.

Tracy got to Opotiki Hospital with only half an hour to spare when her second child, Quentin, was born a year ago. Krystal also has another brother, Dylan, 2 1/2.

Despite the short labour, Krystal weighed 4140g (9lb 2oz).

Said her grandmother: "She's a big, healthy baby."