Kate Sabov gave birth to her son, the Cowichan Valley’s New Year’s Baby, Oliver Roman Sabov, at 11:39 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 2.
It was a Caesarian birth for the boy, who weighed seven pounds five ounces and measured 49 cm in length.
“He turned out to be much bigger than they were anticipating this time around. I wasn’t in labour very long. It was time and that was it,” Sabov said.
She looked rested when the Citizen visited her but Sabov confessed, “I’ve been up all night.”
Asked if this was her first baby, the new mother smiled.
“No, this is my fourth and my last. We are done. Now, I’ve got four boys.”
They range in age from Nicholas, 18, and Alexander, nine, to Liam, two and a half years old plus her newborn Oliver. Nicholas has graduated from high school already.
“My 18-year-old and my nine-year-old are from a different father. My two-and-a-half-year old and my newborn are from my partner, Daniel Foote. We’re just so happy to welcome this little guy into the world.”
Foote was unable to attend the birth so her sister, Michelle, stepped in.
“She flew in from Ontario for this. How cool is that?” Sabov said.
She was originally from Ontario herself but moved to Duncan about five years ago.
Right after Sabov, three more women arrived at the hospital to have their babies, Sabov said.
“The ward was empty but it filled up pretty quickly. This has turned out so wonderful. He was due on Jan. 1 but we were here on the second, so everything worked out really well.”
She was surprised that hers was the New Years Baby.
“I thought somebody would have had it on the first but some other ladies were diverted to another hospital. And then came Jan. 2 and I was here first thing in the morning at 8 a.m. So I guess I got lucky. I have to say I’m sorry to those ladies. We should all get together and have tea or coffee or something.”
Sabov praised the staff on the maternity ward.
“It’s really great to have such dedicated people here, putting up with us all and the surprises that seem to be happening all at once because today it’s happening again. This place is filling up.”