Christy Chung gives birth to 3rd girl
by Patrick Kearns,
Diva Asia
At sunrise Saturday morning, with his actress wife Christy Chung ready to give birth in Beijing's United Family Hospital, musician Jon Yen, assisted in the delivery of his third daughter, Cayla Janie Yen with only a midwife and a nurse present.
Several hours earlier sensing the baby was getting ready to pop out, Chung quickly woke her husband by calling out their secret word, "Titanic," signally the birth was imminent.
With bags pre-packed and the hospital notified, Yen had his wife at United Family within a short 15 minutes.
Shortly after their 4 am arrival, Chung began having strong contractions and commented she was "physically ready". Hospital staff told her the doctor was "already on route".
The forty-two-year-old father of two grinned widely as he told staff, "I have seen this look on her face before", informing them that the baby was near.
Unwilling to wait for anyone, baby Cayla began crowning around 5:30 am, and with that, the midwife announced, "She's coming!"
Staff quickly made final preparations as Yen and the midwife began encouraging Chung to push. Within one minute, 7.3 lb (3.3 kg) Cayla Janie Yen entered the world just before 6 am, to the surprise of everyone.
With the hospital's competent staff taking good care of mother and baby, Chung said "I am doing extremely well, recovering after only 5 hours of labor and a quick push."
The elated parents were unable to contain their joy. "We are so happy to have a new addition to the family at this auspicious time right before Chinese New Year," Chung said. "We are very blessed to have three beautiful angels."
With the Spring Festival's tradition of present money-laden red envelopes to children quickly approaching, Chung joked, "we'll finally have more red envelopes coming in rather than going out."
Chung was previously scheduled to give birth Feb 2. Married since 2003, the couple have two other daughters, 12-year-old Yasmine and 18-month-old Jaden Chloe.
Relieved that the long nine-month process was over, Yen said, "While I am happy my girls will go home soon, I am not so sure about my new predicament of being out numbered by women 4 to 1."