By Alex Robinson
One of the first babies born in the borough in the Lunar New Year was delivered at New York Hospital Queens at 12:39 a.m. Friday.
Yin Liu gave birth to a baby girl, Meiomi, who was delivered by Dr. Ing-Yann Jeng.
“It was a happy surprise to have Meiomi on the Lunar New Year. She wasn’t due until Feb. 6,” Liu said as she lay in the hospital bed with her newborn baby, who weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces.
The new baby’s father, Chris Gammon, said they named Meiomi after a bottle of Napa Valley Pinot Noir.
The couple live in Astoria and missed family Lunar New Year celebrations they would have usually attended when their daughter decided it was time to enter the world.
“When I started having contractions, I just thought ‘Oh, no. I’m going to ruin my doctor’s New Year’s Eve,” Liu said.
Liu’s mother made sure to bring her traditional Chinese food to the hospital as well as a red envelope with money in it as is traditional for Lunar New Year.
Meiomi was born in the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac’s 12-year cycle. Those born in the Year of the Horse are believed to be strong, independent and energetic.
“My dad was born in Year of the Horse,” Liu said, “so it’s lucky.”
Reach reporter Alex Robinson by e-mail at arobinson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
