DOUBLE TOT! Mum and midwife celebrate arrival of first New Year baby two minutes after midnight.

Byline: BY MAURICE FITZMAURICE

TWO women celebrated a double first yesterday - one giving birth to Northern Ireland's first baby of 2009, and the other delivering it.

Mum Fave O'Reilly celebrated the New Year by having a little girl at just two minutes past midnight in Newry's Daisy Hill hospital .

And in an incredible co-incidence, midwife Mary Jordan-who assisted in the birth of the 8lb 7oz tot - is herself a New Year baby, born back in 1966.

Mary said: "It's the first time I've been able to celebrate both my birthday and deliver a newborn on the same day." At 1am, Karen Boyd gave birth to a boy weighing 6lb, 8oz at the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, Co Antrim.

A minute later, Zara King, from Greysteel, Co Derry, gave birth at Altnagelvin in Derry. The 8lb 4oz baby girl had not been named yesterday.

And Pamela Stagg from East Belfast was all smiles with her newborn boy.

Pamela gave birth to Nathan, a 9lb 8oz bouncing baby, at 2.03am at the Royal Victoria Hospital yesterday morning.

Also at the Royal Jessica Snoddy from Belfast was overjoyed with the arrival of 8lb 7oz baby girl Krystal at 2.10am.

In a busy night at Belfast's RVH, eight New Year babies were born.

CAPTION(S):

Newry Mum Fave and Mary 12.02am; Dundonald Karen Boyd and baby boy 1am; Belfast Pamela Stagg and Nathan 2.03am; Altnagelvin Zara King and baby girl 1.02am; Belfast Jessica Snoddy and Krystal 2.10am