SINGAPORE - Singapore's first Jubilee baby, a girl, was born at the stroke of midnight at Thomson Medical Centre on Jan 1, 2015.
Mr Tham Kuan How and Ms Lian Wen Fang, both 29, welcomed their first child Chloe Tham Xin Yi as the rest of Singapore ushered in the new year.
The baby girl arrived two days early.
"We just want her to be happy, grow up healthy and have the freedom to choose what to do in future," said Mr Tham, who is a customer service executive in the retail sector.
Ms Lian agreed, and added that she is happy that her newborn is now a "famous" baby. The customer service assistant in banking went into labour for 14 hours from about 10am on Wednesday.
At the hospital on Thursday morning, Ms Grace Fu, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, presented the parents with the first SG50 Baby Jubilee Gift, in commemoration of Singapore's 50th year of independence.
The gift includes a special medallion, a multi-functional shawl, a baby sling, a set of baby clothes, a diaper bag, a scrapbook, a family photo frame and a set of baby books.
"The arrival of the Jubilee baby signifies new life, a new beginning, so it's of particular significance as we celebrate 50 years of nationhood. It represents a new generation who will shape Singapore for the next 50 years," said Ms Fu.
"We hope that the baby will grow up well, will have a healthy life, will have a meaningful life, and I think that's really the best gift that the baby can bring to Singapore...We hope that Singapore will be a great place for children to grow up."