Mother's decision to have baby on February 14 'like a 'Valentine's Day gift for my husband'
Birth of baby girl was brought forward to avoid spending Lunar New Year holiday in hospital
A Singaporean mother who picked Saturday to give birth to her baby daughter said she hoped the girl would be the best possible Valentine's Day gift to her husband.
Ting See-hau, 32, was 38 weeks into her pregnancy when she realised that she might have to spend Lunar New Year in hospital if she waited for a natural birth, which would have been due tomorrow.
So the mother of a two-year-old boy decided to bring the delivery of her second child a few days forward by having her labour induced.
"I do not want spend the Lunar New Year in the hospital," Ting said by telephone from Singapore. "I do not want relatives and friends having to visit the hospital to see my daughter during the festival."
She added: "I think it will be a very special and sweet day to remember for our family. The baby will be like a St Valentine's gift to my husband."
The pre-Lunar New Year "baby boom" trend is particularly strong in Singapore as it celebrates the 50th year of independence. All babies born this year receive a special jubilee baby gift bundle from the city state's government.
Other mothers-to-be bring forward their deliveries for a variety of reasons, not least related to quirks of the lunar calendar.