The 2022 New Year came with double the blessings for the Berachi family.
In the early hours of Jan.1, Michaelet Balway gave birth to two baby girls, Martha and Milcah Berachi, born eight minutes apart. The twins were Guelph General Hospital's first babies of the year.
Together, the two weighed a little over 10 pounds and were taken into the nursery for special care and Balway was filled with joy as her son, Merih now has not one, but two little sisters.
Martha was born six pounds and three ounces at 1:56 a.m. and Milcah was born at 2:04 a.m. weighing four pounds and 11 ounces.
In less than eight hours after a labour that lasted an hour and 55 minutes, Michaelet was already doing an interview with GuelphToday detailing her experience.
“I am happy! I am happy too much. Too much,” said the twins’ father and Michaelet's husband Maharzgi Berachi. The couple had travelled from Eritrea in December and are new to Guelph.
Charge nurse Miranda said on average, Guelph General sees twins about once a month, so for the first babies of the New Years to be twins is pretty exciting.
“Twins are always a high risk delivery no matter what so we usually always prepare for the worst,” she said.
Luckily, the two girls were born healthy, without complications.
Often, local residents in Guelph donate gifts to the hospital for the first babies of the year, but due to COVID precautions, those were put on hold.
The charge nurse said both the mother and the new babies are doing well. Martha and Milcah are currently in the nursery. The two babies are donning different coloured beanies while under observation. Martha is rocking a blue knitted beanie and Milcah is wearing a pink beanie.