New Year’s Day began with moments of joy for a number of families across Bahrain, as they welcomed the kingdom’s first babies of the year.
While many citizens and residents rang in the new year with fireworks and countdowns, these families eagerly welcomed the cries of their newborn bundles of joy at hospitals across the kingdom.
The first reported birth of 2026 at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) was a Syrian baby boy born at 1.33am to delighted parents Hussain Kadeeb and his wife Sanaa.
“This is our sixth child and we are absolutely delighted to welcome him into this world!” Mr Kadeeb, who lives in Salmaniya, told the GDN.
“It was difficult and my wife has been at the hospital since Sunday and the doctors eventually did a Cesarean section, but we are celebrating the new member of the family.
The first reported birth of the year at SMC, born to Mr Kadeeb and his wife Sanaa
“We still haven’t picked a name yet, but it will be between Saud, Adam or Zaid.”
The first reported Bahraini to be born at SMC in 2026 was baby Batool, who was born at 2.21am to father Fadhel Faisal Ali and mother Zainab.
Batool became the family’s sixth child as well after a normal delivery which took less than an hour.
Baby Batool, pictured here with her father, became the SMC’s first confirmed Bahraini birth of 2026
“She is a gift from God, and we are beyond happy to welcome her into our family and the world,” Mr Ali, 62, from Jidhafs added.
“We now have three boys and three girls. My wife will be discharged today, and we are looking forward to starting the new year with the newest addition to our family together.”
Baby Batool
Indian parents Nareen and Vaishali Gatla, who are originally from Hyderabad, were also blessed with a baby girl at 8.52am at KIMSHEALTH Hospital in Umm Al Hassam.
The baby, who is yet to be named, was born by Cesarean section, to 40-year-old motor claims insurance officer Mr Gatla and 38-year-old administrative co-ordinator Ms Gatla, who also have an eight-year-old daughter.
“The doctor had informed us that we would need to do a Cesarean section, so we were eagerly waiting,” Ms Gatla told the GDN.
Mr and Ms Gatla’s bundle of joy
“We arrived at 8.15am and it was a very smooth operation – we are ever grateful to Dr Santhi Mullan Antony and the staff for taking care of us and making sure the process was as seamless as possible.
“Our elder daughter was born on February 1, back in 2016, and we feel blessed to have a January 1 baby now!”
Indian parents Keertheesh Gurukar and Sushma Shivakumar also welcomed their firstborn at 10.45am at KIMSHEALTH Hospital.
Vivasvi, whose name means ‘brilliant’ in Sanskrit, was born by Cesarean section, weighing a healthy 2.98kg at birth. Her father works as a civil engineer and her mother is an architect.
Baby Vivasvi taking in her first views of the world on the first day of the year
“She is our first baby, so we were a bit anxious at first, but the whole experience was quite positive. The operation itself just took 15 to 20 minutes, and I am glad we took the doctor’s advice to go ahead with the surgery,” Mr Gurukar told the GDN.
The American Mission Hospital (AMH) in Manama also reported the birth of two Indian baby girls, one at 6.19am and another at 9.36am.
Meanwhile, the King Hamad American Mission Hospital in A’Ali reported three births, including a Bahraini boy, born at 1am to Fatema Faeq Ahmed, making him the first confirmed Bahraini birth of 2026.
In addition, a Bahraini boy was born at 1.29am and a Bahraini girl at 10.34am.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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