Carterton Family Welcomes New Year’s Baby with Joy

A family from Carterton celebrated the arrival of their new baby on January 1, 2024, marking one of the first births of the New Year in New Zealand. Rebecca Morris gave birth to her third child, Otis Siya Rautenbach, at Wairarapa Hospital, where he weighed in at 3.43 kilograms. Morris expressed her excitement, stating, “It really was special, knowing that he was the first baby born here in the year.”

Although Otis was originally due on January 3, Morris began experiencing contractions on New Year’s Eve. Her partner, Jarryd Rautenbach, encouraged her to try to delay the birth until the New Year. “It was all happening very fast. He just wanted to arrive into the world in the fastest way possible,” Morris recalled. They managed to reach the hospital just in time, and Otis arrived within half an hour of their arrival.

Water Birth Experience

Morris described the experience as a beautiful water birth, a plan she had arranged with her midwife. Contrary to her expectations of chaos, she found the environment calm and supportive. “I kind of expected it to be chaos, like full of women giving birth all over the place, but it wasn’t. I’m so happy,” she said.

The name Otis was inspired by the late soul singer Otis Redding, a choice that resonated with both Morris and her two older sons, who approved of the name after meeting their new brother in the hospital. Both Otis’s middle name and surname reflect his father’s South African heritage.

Proud father Jarryd described his newborn as a “dream baby,” noting that Otis has been calm and feeding well since his arrival. Morris, who is currently on maternity leave from her position as an art teacher at Kuranui College, shared that her experience from previous births provided her with a sense of confidence during this one.

A Smooth Transition to Parenthood

She contrasted this birth with her last experience at Middlemore Hospital during the pandemic lockdown, highlighting the peaceful atmosphere at Wairarapa Hospital. “This was so much calmer and more beautiful. It was really nice that they looked after us, gave us everything we needed, and made us feel safe,” she said.

Morris reported that her pregnancy was mostly smooth, with only mild nausea and some discomfort due to sciatica pain and leg swelling. The family recently relocated to the Wairarapa region from Auckland in search of a better lifestyle and closer proximity to family. “We just wanted to move somewhere we love,” she stated.

New Zealand was among the last countries to celebrate the New Year, following Kiribati, Tonga, Samoa, and Tokelau, making the arrival of Otis all the more significant for the Morris-Rautenbach family.