Parents from St George and Sutherland Shire marked the first day of the new year and a new decade in a way they will never forget, after welcoming the region's first babies of 2020.
A total of 14 bubs arrived at hospitals in St George and Sutherland Shire on New Year's Day, including a set of twins.
Lyla Paynter was the first baby born in St George and Sutherland Shire for 2020, arriving at 12.15am on January 1 at Kareena Private Hospital at Caringbah.
Lyla was the only baby born at the hospital that day and was three days overdue when she made her appearance just hours after her parents Matthew and Emma arrived at the hospital.
Matthew said Lyla was due on December 29 and they had wondered if they might get a special Christmas delivery.
"The thought did cross our mind that she might come early on Christmas Day, being our second one, but that came and went," he said.
With their first child Jackson arriving nine days late after Emma's labour was induced, they did not hold out much hope of anything happening until Emma went for a check up with her obstetrician on New Year's Eve.
"He said he wouldn't be surprised if he saw us in the next 24 hours," Matthew said.
Emma began experiencing labour pains while at home at Cronulla that afternoon and decided to go to hospital at 8pm.
"It was getting exciting. The fireworks were on the TV in the delivery room and at one point about 10 minutes before midnight the doctor made a joke [to Emma] about wanting the baby born this decade or the next," Matthew said.
"It didn't go down very well [because] she just wanted it over."
Across the road at Sutherland Hospital, Ava deCortes Balague was getting ready to make her appearance. Mum Nicole, of Miranda, eventually gave birth to her first child at 2.47am.
She was one of just two babies born at Sutherland Hospital on New Year's Day.
Among the first babies born in the St George area on New Year's Day were twin boys Maher and Mahfuz Rahman.
Mum Mahmuda Haque gave birth to the twins at 10.37am and 10.45am respectively.
They were among seven babies born at St George Hospital on New Year's Day and their births were not without some complications after they arrived more than five weeks early.
The twins' dad Syed Parvez said the boys were originally due on February 10 but midwives and doctors at St George Hospital had warned them they would probably come a few weeks early.
They had arranged for Mahmuda's mother to come from the US in late January to care for big sister Mahira, 2, but the twins had other ideas, with Mahmuda's water breaking about 10pm on New Year's Eve.
With no one to watch Mahira, they took her with them to the hospital but Syed decided to take her home to Kogarah for a rest about 7am.
They both fell asleep, and he awoke at 10.30am to the phone ringing and a midwife telling him to come back to the hospital at once as his wife was about to give birth.
By the time he arrived, his twins had been born, but he said his wife was very understanding and had been well cared for by midwives.
"The St George midwives are angels on the ground," Syed said.
"The midwife who was with my wife was amazing. She said 'I am sorry you missed that but your sons came out fast like Superman'."
They will remain in the hospital's special care nursery for several weeks but are doing well.
St George Private Hospital recorded two births on New Year's Day. A girl was first to arrive at 9.53am, followed 59 minutes later by a boy who was born at 11.52am.
Hurstville Private Hospital also recorded two New Year's Day births, with two boys born at 6am and 5.38pm.