Neal and Kate Glasgow had their first child, Fergus James Glasgow, at 4.26am on Wednesday.
The couple welcomed the baby boy, weighing 2.99kg (6lb 9oz), at a relative’s house in Waihola, with the help of Dunedin midwife Margaret Gardener.
‘‘We decided to birth in Waihola.
‘‘We wanted to be near a hospital just in case anything happened.’’
Mrs Glasgow said a memorable moment happened during a contraction, when she got out of the birthing pool and was leaning over the couch nearby.
‘‘I saw this spider beneath me and just started yelling.
‘‘Neal and the midwife were both frantically trying to get it out of the room.’’
Mr Glasgow said his brother placed a bet the baby would be born at 12.02am and would be the first New Year’s baby in New Zealand.
The due date for baby Fergus was Christmas Day.
Mr Neal said he thought Fergus wanted to wait until the new decade.
‘‘He clearly loves public holidays.
‘‘He’ll get a party and a public holiday on his birthday every year so he’s lucky, really.’’
