“Overwhelmed but happy,” was the feeling that Ma Elena Celis, from Talo’fo’fo’, used to describe her experience with the arrival of her daughter, Eliana Celis, the first baby born in Guam — and on U.S. soil in 2023.

Born 30 minutes after midnight at Guam Memorial Hospital, the new mom was not expecting to give birth to her first child for at least a couple of weeks as her original due date was scheduled for Jan.15. However, during her last appointment with her OBGYN, Dr. Thomas Shieh, she found out about her baby’s early arrival.

“During labor, I thought I could still wait, I’m okay. But then I had an appointment yesterday. And that’s when the doctor told me that I had to go to the hospital and deliver the baby,” said Celis. “My focus is only on her and me.”

According to Dr. Shieh, Celis’s pregnancy was high risk with a condition where her baby was “growth restricted”, however, he was able to ensure she carried the baby to term and deliver naturally.

Despite being born at just over four pounds and 17.5 inches long, Dr. Shieh and Celis described Eliana as “tiny but mighty.”

“Everything’s normal and she’s so strong, actually,” Celis said.

“She is gonna lead us into a brighter 2023,” Dr. Shieh added.

Additionally, Eliana’s father, Michael Angelo Lejano, unable to make it to the birth because of an injury, had the FaceTime technology he needed. According to Dr. Shieh, Lejano was “so grateful for the safe delivery and prenatal care of his wife and baby.”

Due to the current visitation restrictions at the hospital, Archway Inc., the company known for showering Guam’s New Year Baby with gifts and other necessities from local sponsors islandwide, will once again have to wait until mom and baby are discharged to present this year’s gifts.

One of the many gifts new mom Ma Elena Celis will receive for her and her daughter Eliana will be this playpen filled with baby necessities from AB Risk Solutions.

Courtesy of AB Risk Solutions

This year marks 19 years of Archway Inc. sharing gifts with the new year’s first baby.

Learning of this through her brother who helped her throughout her labor and delivery, Celis said that although she’s still “overwhelmed” with the attention she is getting, she is “very grateful” for the gifts that will help her embark on her journey into motherhood.

Source: guampdn.com