 The Japson family welcomed Kelowna's New Year's baby Tuesday evening. Niguel joined brother Jaivyn, 5, mom Jennifer Mendoza, father Norlan Japson and brother Tyrone, 13, for the first time Wednesday morning at Kelowna General Hospital. |
Niguel Norjeng Japson entered the world at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, 19 hours after midnight. At five pounds eight ounces, hospital staff wanted him to undergo several tests to confirm he's OK.
"He's doing great. I want to go home already, but they have to do a lot of testing," said his mother, Jennifer Mendoza, 39. "He's petite and I'm petite. We want to make sure he's healthy."
Niguel, pronounced nee-GELL, is the third of three boys. His five-year-old brother, Jaivyn, was especially excited about the addition. His mom was hoping for a girl, but the hand-me-downs from Jaivyn and Tyrone, 13, should mean less clothes shopping for his parents.
Niguel's parents married in the Philippines and had Tyrone before Jennifer moved to Kelowna to work as a nanny 12 years ago. Husband Norlan Japson and son Tyrone immigrated here four years later.
She has taken time off as a licensed practical nurse at Cottonwoods and Kelowna General Hospital, and plans to return to work this summer. Norlan, 39, works as a care aide at Hawthorne Park retirement community.
Jennifer started her contractions at 11 p.m. Monday and went into labour at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. She credits exercising for making the delivery smooth.
"Walking and exercise really helped," she said. "I was four centimetres dilated and I still wanted to walk. . . . After an hour, they checked me at 5:30 and I was eight centimetres. That's after I walked and exercised on the big ball."
Doctors were checking Niguel's hearing, blood and the way he feeds. Mother and son expect to be home sometime today.
